The Preeclampsia Foundation announced today the launch of their 2026 Preeclampsia Awareness Report, which found that while 80% of new and expectant moms in the United States are aware of preeclampsia as a dangerous high blood pressure condition related to pregnancy, only 8% can correctly name all of its major symptoms and only 29% expressed fear that it may impact their own pregnancy.

The Report, which launched in May as part of Preeclampsia Awareness Month, came from survey data collected alongside digital media partner What to Expect and analyzed knowledge from almost 3,000 new and expectant moms that closely represents the demographics of the US population. The survey, which was previously conduced in 2015, also found that modern parents consume pregnancy and parenting content in very different ways than past generations – suggesting the importance of a multimedia, multichannel approach to preeclampsia education.

“While we celebrate that many parents are aware of preeclampsia, the disconnect between patients’ understanding of ‘this is a serious condition’ and ‘this could happen to me’ really stood out in these survey results,” said Eleni Tsigas, Preeclampsia Foundation Chief Executive Officer. “Early recognition of symptoms, especially among those at higher risk of developing preeclampsia, is critical to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment that can improving outcomes for moms and babies. What patients don’t know can kill them.”

Preeclampsia, which is a life-threatening hypertensive disorder of pregnancy and the postpartum period, affects about 5-8% of all pregnancies and is a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death worldwide. Recent research also shows that more women than ever are developing it in the US.

Highlights from the 2026 Preeclampsia Awareness Report

• Socioeconomic and racial disparities: Knowledge gaps persist across socioeconomic lines, as women in lower income households, urban communities, and among communities of color show significantly lower awareness of preeclampsia and life-threatening complications like stroke or seizure.
• Lack of postpartum preeclampsia knowledge: myths like “delivery is the cure” still persist even in the obstetrics world – only 65% of patients correctly identified that preeclampsia could occur or persist up to six weeks postpartum.
• Critical gaps in symptoms awareness: While 82% of respondents recognized high blood pressure as a sign of preeclampsia, only half recognized less common symptoms, such as shortness of breath and nausea/vomiting. Two-thirds of respondents also incorrectly identified symptoms not associated with preeclampsia.
• Decline of early prenatal education: Only 23% of preeclampsia patients heard about the condition in their first trimester. This follows recent research which has found that up to 1 in 4 pregnant patients in the US are no longer receiving prenatal care in the first trimester.

These results also highlighted an important recognition – with preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy on the rise in the US, public awareness plays a vital role in saving lives.

Driving a multi-faceted public health education strategy

As the nation’s leading non-profit patient advocacy organization for preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, Tsigas emphasizes the Preeclampsia Foundation’s role in bringing together patients, providers, researchers, and public policy makers to improve education and maternal health outcomes.

“We must provide easy-to-understand preeclampsia signs and symptoms education tools to improve patient understanding of what to report to their healthcare providers,” added Tsigas. “As well as making patients aware of early risk factors so that we can screen during the first trimester and determine if aspirin use might be warranted.”

The Foundation and its partners have also emphasized the importance of postpartum vigilance. In March, the Preeclampsia Foundation launched a multidisciplinary task force to standardize the use of postpartum wristbands and spark an awareness campaign across health systems nationwide.

To access the Report, please visit www.preeclampsia.org/AwarenessMonth

About the Preeclampsia Foundation

The Preeclampsia Foundation is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2000 to improve the outcomes of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy by educating, supporting, and engaging the community, improving healthcare practices, and accelerating research. We envision a world where preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy no longer threaten the lives of mothers and their babies. For more information, visit www.preeclampsia.org.