There is an increased cardiovascular risk after a pregnant woman has preeclampsia. Previous research found that there are signs of early cardiovascular aging when a woman is six months postpartum. This study looked at women when they were six months postpartum and again two years postpartum to look at their cardiovascular measures and ongoing risk factors.
This study found that women who had preeclampsia had higher blood pressure and were more likely to have signs of future cardiovascular problems compared to women who didn't have preeclampsia during pregnancy. The women who had preeclampsia also had a higher body mass index and insulin resistance, which also increased their future cardiovascular risk.
Take Home Message: The study suggests that doctors should keep a close eye on these women even after their pregnancy is over to help prevent cardiovascular diseases and other complications. Women who experienced preeclampsia can talk to their doctors about steps they can take to reduce their cardiovascular risks.
Link: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.123.21890
Citation: Henry, A., Mangos, G., Roberts, L. M., Brown, M. A., Pettit, F., O’Sullivan, A. J., Crowley, R., Youssef, G., & Davis, G. K. (2024). Preeclampsia-associated cardiovascular risk factors 6 months and 2 years after pregnancy: The P4 study. Hypertension, 81(4), 851–860. https://doi.org/10.1161/hypertensionaha.123.21890
Your story is needed to improve outcomes for moms like you. Add your voice to critical preeclampsia research to ensure that every story is heard.
Frequently asked questions about the Preeclampsia Registry, a patient-driven registry and biobank.
The Preeclampsia Foundation offers research funding, study recruitment, and other patient engagement services to researchers.
We provide research grant funding to advance progress towards detection, prevention, or treatment of preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
While the Preeclampsia Foundation has been championing patient advocacy and representation for all families affected by hypertension in pregnancy throughout our 25 year history, we recognized the uniq...
Genetic predictors of blood pressure traits are associated with preeclampsia Although underlying causes of preeclampsia are not fully understood, there is evidence suggesting a strong genetic compone...
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a leading cause of maternal mortality and can put both mother and baby at risk for problems during pregnancy. Women who had HDPs have postpartum risk...
Elevated Blood Pressure in Pregnancy and Long-Term Cardiometabolic Health Outcomes This study looked at how elevated blood pressure during the third trimester of pregnancy affects cardiometabolic hea...
Planned early-term delivery in individuals with mild chronic hypertension was not associated with a reduction in adverse maternal outcomes but was associated with an increase in some neonatal complica...