A new study is raising flags about an often-overlooked health concern for new moms: high blood pressure after childbirth.
According to researchers from Boston University School of Public Health, one in ten women who didn’t have high blood pressure before or during pregnancy might develop it within a year after having a baby.
This issue seems to especially impact non-Hispanic Black women and could play a role in the concerning racial disparities we see in maternal health in the United States.
The Findings: Who’s Most at Risk?
The study looked at a diverse group of women and found that almost a quarter of new high blood pressure cases appeared six weeks or more after childbirth.
This is way past the typical time when new moms usually have their post-birth checkup.
What’s more, the study pinpointed some specific risk factors. Women over 35, those who smoke or used to smoke, and those who had a C-section are more likely to develop high blood pressure after giving birth.
If a woman has all three of these risk factors, her chance of developing high blood pressure shoots up to 29%. For non-Hispanic Black women with these risk factors, the risk is even higher at 36%.
Why Does It Matter?
High blood pressure is not something to ignore. It can lead to serious problems like stroke, heart disease, and kidney failure.
The tricky part is that high blood pressure often doesn’t show any symptoms, making it easy to miss. Right now, new moms usually have just one medical checkup within four to six weeks after childbirth.
Given that many cases of high blood pressure appear after this period, a lot of women might not even know they’re at risk.
This is especially worrying because high blood pressure can have long-lasting effects on a woman’s health, and it highlights the need for better post-birth care for women who are most at risk.
What Should Be Done Next?
The researchers recommend that new moms, especially those at high risk, should continue to have their blood pressure monitored well after the six-week mark. This could catch new cases before they turn into serious health problems.
Samantha Parker, the lead author of the study, emphasizes that this is crucial for addressing the unequal impact of maternal health issues on people of color.
This study is a wake-up call. The researchers are urging for more studies to understand how to reduce this risk and what it means for long-term health.
So if you or someone you know is expecting, keep an eye on blood pressure—before, during, and especially after pregnancy.
If you care about high blood pressure, please read studies that drinking tea could help lower blood pressure, and early time-restricted eating could help improve blood pressure.
For more information about blood pressure, please see recent studies about added sugar in your diet linked to higher blood pressure, and results showing vitamin D could improve blood pressure in people with diabetes.
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