Link between pregnancy hypertension and long-term risk of chronic hypertension

A study published in the journal Hypertension has revealed that hypertensive disorders during pregnancy (HDP) can lead to an elevated risk of chronic hypertension in both mothers and their children.

Offspring of mothers affected by HDP, which accounted for 7.5% of the children, exhibited a notably higher occurrence of chronic hypertension by the ages of 30 (8.9% compared to 5.5%) and 40 (22.5% compared to 15.7%) in comparison to offspring of unaffected mothers. Through a comprehensive analysis, exposure to HDP during foetal development was found to be linked to a 50% rise in the risk of chronic hypertension.

The study also considered maternal chronic hypertension, defined as hypertension diagnosed in the mother before, during, or after pregnancy. The research indicated that maternal chronic hypertension was associated with a 73% increased risk of chronic hypertension in the offspring.

Notably, the presence of both HDP exposure and maternal chronic hypertension amplified the risk of future hypertension in the offspring by 2.4 times as compared to those with neither exposure. These findings emphasise the importance of monitoring and addressing hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, not only for the health of the mother but also for the long-term well-being of the child.

Such insights could have significant implications for healthcare practices and interventions aimed at reducing the risk of chronic hypertension in the future.