Hypertension risk found in women after pregnancy

For up to a year after giving birth, more than 1 in 10 women (12 percent) who did not have high blood pressure before or during pregnancy develop the condition, according to research published in the journal Hypertension.

The study found that, in nearly a fourth of those cases, hypertension developed six weeks or more after childbirth, and 17 percent of the women had what was considered a severe case.

The researchers analyzed blood pressure measurements from the prenatal period through 12 months after delivery for the 3,925 study participants, including 2,465 women with no history of chronic or pregnancy-related hypertension. At least two readings of at least 140/90, taken more than 48 hours after delivery, were considered new onset postpartum hypertension. The researchers defined readings of 160/110 as severe cases.

They also found that those at highest risk for developing new onset postpartum hypertension are women older than 35, current or former smokers, and women who deliver via Caesarean section. Among the study participants, having all three characteristics raised the risk of developing postpartum hypertension to 29 percent.

Possible complications of postpartum hypertension, especially for severe cases, include an increased risk for seizures, stroke, cardiovascular disease and kidney failure.

Currently, women who don’t have blood pressure problems before or during pregnancy usually have their blood pressure checked just once in the four to six weeks after delivery, but the researchers suggest more frequent checks.