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Newborns exposed to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy show substantially elevated blood pressure and cardiovascular variability at birth, indicating early-life cardiovascular risk.
A large retrospective study has revealed that infants born to mothers with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) show measurable increases in blood pressure immediately after birth, reinforcing concerns about early-life cardiovascular (CV) risk.
Hypertensive disorders—encompassing gestational hypertension (GH) and preeclampsia (PE)—impact up to 22% of pregnancies worldwide and are already known to increase long-term CV disease risk in offspring. However, this novel analysis yields critical evidence that these effects may commence as early as the immediate postnatal period.
Investigators analyzed data from 1,655 maternal–infant pairs delivered between 2012 and 2025, using advanced statistical modeling (inverse probability weighted regression adjustment) to determine the links between maternal HDP and newborn CV parameters. Newborns of mothers with hypertensive disorders illustrated higher blood pressure at birth. Both GH and PE were associated with elevated mean arterial pressure and higher diastolic blood pressure (Table 1).
Furthermore, GH was linked to a rise in systolic blood pressure (+2.3 mmHg) and greater physiological variability, including increased heart rate (+1 bpm) and diastolic blood pressure variability (+1.4 mmHg). These findings indicate that subtle but significant CV alterations are already present at birth in infants exposed to HDP. The results support the developmental origins of health and disease theory, suggesting that CV risk may be programmed before birth.
Previous laboratory evidence has shown vascular endothelial dysfunction in cells derived from HDP pregnancies, and this study now provides systemic, real-world confirmation in newborns. From a clinical and public health perspective, the study underscores the importance of early CV monitoring in newborns exposed to HDP. It may also inform future neonatal screening strategies and preventive interventions aimed at curtailing lifelong CV risk. Overall, the research reinforces the concept that CV disease risk commences before birth, emphasizing the requisition for greater focus on maternal health and its long-term impact on offspring.
The Journal of Clinical Hypertension
Elevated Blood Pressure in Newborns From Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy During the Immediate
Colman I Freel et al.
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