UK study links pregnancy complications to future heart and kidney disease

A UK-based study published in BMJ Medicine indicates that women experiencing pregnancy complications, whether in their current or previous pregnancies, face an increased risk of developing cardiometabolic and renal conditions in later years.

Specific complications such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure during pregnancy, and postnatal depression were linked to a higher risk of four conditions: cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. Other factors, including preterm birth, miscarriage, stillbirth, placental abruption, and babies born significantly smaller or larger than average for their gestational age, were associated with an increased risk of at least one of these conditions.

To conduct the research, authors analyzed a large primary care database involving more than 1.4 million women registered with a GP in the UK between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2022. The study aimed to address gaps in existing research, which often focused only on the most recent pregnancy or failed to adequately examine chronic kidney disease.