NIH

Early pregnancy blood pressure predicts long-term hypertension risk

April 7, 2025

A large observational study supported by NIH followed 174,774 women who received prenatal care at Kaiser Permanente Northern California between 2009 and 2019. None had pre-existing hypertension, kidney, liver, or heart disease, or a history of preeclampsia. Researchers tracked health records for up to 14 years post-delivery to identify new cases of hypertension. The study identified six distinct blood pressure trajectory groups during the first 20 weeks of pregnancy, ranging from ultra-low to elevated-stable patterns. Women with elevated-stable blood pressure patterns were at the highest risk, being 11 times more likely to develop hypertension later in life compared with those with less risky patterns. These findings, which were published in Hypertension, highlight the importance of monitoring blood pressure patterns in early pregnancy to identify women at higher risk for long-term hypertension. This can enable healthcare providers to offer targeted surveillance and early interventions, potentially preventing future cardiovascular complications.

Source:

(2025, April 2). NIH. Blood pressure patterns in early pregnancy tied to hypertension risk up to 14 years later. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/blood-pressure-patterns-early-pregnancy-tied-hypertension-risk-14-years-later