Pregnancy-Related Hypertension Raises Risk of Heart Disease

Women who develop hypertensive disorders during pregnancy face a higher risk of serious heart disease or death within five years of childbirth, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association conference in New Orleans.

Analyzing over 2,18,000 births across 22 Intermountain Health hospitals from 2017–2024, researchers found 31,077 cases of pregnancy-related hypertension — mostly gestational hypertension and preeclampsia.

During a 4.8-year follow-up, affected women had sharply increased risks of heart failure (3–13 fold), stroke (2–17 fold), heart attack (3–7 fold), coronary artery disease (2–7 fold), and death (1–4 fold).

Researchers urged greater awareness among women and healthcare providers about the long-term cardiovascular risks linked to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.