A new study presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2026 has found that women who have had a stroke caused by blocked blood vessels—called an ischemic stroke—face more than double the risk of having another stroke during pregnancy and in the six weeks after giving birth.
The research offers important insights for women and doctors when deciding whether to proceed with pregnancy after a stroke.
The study was led by Dr. Adnan I. Qureshi, a professor of neurology at the University of Missouri and founder of the Zeenat Qureshi Stroke Institutes.
He explained that stroke risk during and after pregnancy is a serious concern, and women who have had an ischemic stroke in the past need special care during pregnancy to reduce the risk of another one.
Using electronic health records from hospitals across the United States, the researchers studied the risk of repeat stroke among women aged 15 to 50 who had given birth. They looked at records from 2015 to 2025 and compared women with a previous stroke to those with no stroke history.
The results were clear. Out of 1,192 pregnant women who had already had a stroke, 415 experienced another stroke during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth. That’s about 35%. In comparison, out of 219,287 pregnant women who had never had a stroke, only 737 had a stroke—just 0.34%.
Even after adjusting for other health and lifestyle factors, the women with a stroke history were more than twice as likely to suffer another stroke. The study also found that women with a history of heart attack were 82% more likely to have a stroke during pregnancy, and those with obesity were 25% more likely.
Dr. Jennifer Lewey, who was not involved in the study, said the findings give doctors and patients a chance to plan better care. Lewey, who leads the Penn Women’s Cardiovascular Health Program, stressed that women with past strokes should receive counseling before becoming pregnant.
An expert team, including both neurologists and obstetricians, should work together to create a plan for close monitoring and treatment during pregnancy and after childbirth.
The researchers also say there are no official guidelines yet for how to manage pregnancy in women with a history of stroke. They hope this study will lead to better ways of identifying high-risk pregnancies so that women can receive the best care from the start.
The study did have some limits. It was based on electronic health records from a large database, which means the researchers couldn’t control every factor. But it still highlights a major risk that should not be overlooked.
In summary, women who had a stroke in the past need extra attention and care if they become pregnant. Doctors should focus on understanding what caused the first stroke, managing medications carefully, and encouraging a healthy lifestyle.
With better care and awareness, it may be possible to reduce the risk of another stroke and protect the health of both mother and baby.
If you care about stroke, please read studies about how to eat to prevent stroke, and diets high in flavonoids could help reduce stroke risk.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and wild blueberries can benefit your heart and brain.
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