Skip to content
How It Works
Explore
Resources Ask a Question
Who It's For
Patients
Decode results, prep for appointments, weigh options.
Caregivers & advocates
Carry the research load for someone you love.
Providers & clinicians
Resources for patients in your practice.
Log In Ask a Question
PubMed This is a summary of 24 peer-reviewed journal articles Updated
Obstetrics and Gynecology

Does Preeclampsia Cause Heart Disease Later in Life?

At a Glance

Having preeclampsia roughly doubles your lifetime risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke, but it is not a guaranteed life sentence. Establishing long-term primary care, monitoring your blood pressure annually, and adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle can significantly lower your risk.

Having preeclampsia does not mean you will definitely develop heart disease or have a heart attack later in life. It is not a guaranteed life sentence. However, it does serve as an important early warning sign that your lifetime risk for cardiovascular issues is higher than average, meaning you should take proactive steps now to protect your heart.

Experiencing preeclampsia can be a traumatic medical event, and hearing about future heart risks can feel overwhelming when you are already navigating life after a complicated pregnancy. By understanding your specific risk, you gain a valuable head start to manage your health and lower your risk over the coming decades.

Pregnancy as a “Stress Test”

Think of pregnancy as a natural, nine-month stress test for your body. Your heart has to work up to 50% harder to pump blood to support your growing baby. For many women, this extra workload reveals underlying vulnerabilities in their blood vessels and heart [1][2][3].

At the same time, the severe inflammation that occurs with preeclampsia can act as a “vascular hit,” causing lasting changes to blood vessels that were previously perfectly healthy [1][3]. Whether preeclampsia unmasks an existing vulnerability or causes new changes, the takeaway is the same: your cardiovascular system struggled under extreme stress, and you now have the knowledge to protect it moving forward.

Understanding Your Specific Risk

Research shows that women who have had preeclampsia face about a two-fold increased risk of developing coronary heart disease or having a stroke later in life compared to women who had pregnancies with normal blood pressure [4][5][6]. They are also at a higher risk for developing chronic high blood pressure and heart failure [7][8].

Your individual risk depends on a few factors about your pregnancy. The risk of future heart issues is higher if:

  • You developed early-onset preeclampsia (requiring delivery before 34 weeks of pregnancy) [9][10].
  • You experienced severe features, such as dangerously high blood pressure, organ dysfunction (like liver or kidney issues), or neurological symptoms (like severe headaches or vision changes) [9].
  • You had preeclampsia in more than one pregnancy [11][8].

Taking Control: Preventative Steps

Medical guidelines now recognize hypertensive disorders of pregnancy as “risk enhancers” for cardiovascular disease [12][13]. This means your healthcare team should monitor you more closely than someone without your history. Unfortunately, there are often gaps in long-term follow-up care for women after complicated pregnancies [14][15]. You can advocate for yourself by taking the following actionable steps:

  • Establish a primary care doctor: Do not rely solely on your OB/GYN after your postpartum period ends. You need a primary care physician who knows your complete pregnancy history to manage your long-term health [16][17].
  • Share your history widely: Explicitly mention your preeclampsia history to all future healthcare providers (including ER doctors and specialists). Never assume it is no longer relevant once you are out of your childbearing years.
  • Monitor your blood pressure: Have your blood pressure checked regularly. Early postpartum blood pressure monitoring—within the first few days and weeks after delivery—is critical to preventing complications [18][17]. Going forward, you should have it checked at a doctor’s office at least once a year.
  • Get regular lab work: Ask your doctor about the appropriate schedule to screen your cholesterol (lipid panel) and blood sugar (glucose or A1C), as preeclampsia is also linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and metabolic issues [17][19][20].
  • Adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle: Regular physical activity (such as 150 minutes of brisk walking a week) and a balanced diet (like the Mediterranean diet) are some of the most effective ways to lower your risk of future heart disease [21][22].
  • Look into specialized clinics: If available in your area, consider a “Cardio-Obstetrics” or “4th Trimester” clinic, which specialize in bridging the gap between obstetrics and cardiology for high-risk patients [23].
  • Breastfeed if possible: If you are able to, some evidence suggests that breastfeeding may help optimize your metabolism and help reset some cardiovascular risk factors after pregnancy [24].

Common questions in this guide

Does having preeclampsia mean I will definitely get heart disease?
No, having preeclampsia does not guarantee you will get heart disease. However, it is an important early warning sign that your lifetime risk is higher than average. This knowledge gives you a valuable head start to manage your health and lower your risk over time.
Why does preeclampsia increase future heart risks?
Pregnancy acts as a natural stress test for your body, requiring your heart to work up to 50% harder. Preeclampsia can either reveal underlying vulnerabilities in your blood vessels or cause new, lasting changes due to the severe inflammation it creates.
What factors make my heart disease risk higher after preeclampsia?
Your future cardiovascular risk increases if you developed early-onset preeclampsia requiring delivery before 34 weeks, had preeclampsia in multiple pregnancies, or experienced severe features like dangerously high blood pressure or organ dysfunction.
What kind of doctor should I see long-term after having preeclampsia?
After your postpartum period ends, you should establish care with a primary care physician who knows your complete pregnancy history. You may also benefit from a specialized cardio-obstetrics clinic or a preventive cardiologist if you have additional risk factors or symptoms.
How often should my blood pressure be checked after preeclampsia?
After close monitoring in the immediate days and weeks following delivery, you should have your blood pressure checked by a healthcare provider at least once a year. You should also ask your doctor about a regular schedule for screening your cholesterol and blood sugar.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Curated prompts to bring to your next appointment.

  1. 1.Given my specific history and timing of preeclampsia, what is my personal target blood pressure?
  2. 2.How often should I be getting my cholesterol and blood sugar checked now that I am in the postpartum phase and beyond?
  3. 3.At what point, or based on what symptoms, would I need a referral to a preventive cardiologist instead of just my primary care doctor?
  4. 4.Are there any specialized cardio-obstetrics or women's heart clinics in our health system that you would recommend for my long-term care?

Questions For You

Tap a prompt to share your answer — we'll use it plus this page's context to start a tailored conversation.

Related questions

HELLP Syndrome vs Preeclampsia: What's the Difference?Does Baby Aspirin Prevent Preeclampsia in Next Pregnancy?Why Do You Need a Magnesium Drip for Preeclampsia?Is My Pregnancy Headache Normal or Preeclampsia?Is My Pregnancy Swelling Normal or a Sign of Preeclampsia?Can You Get Preeclampsia After Delivery? | Inciteful MedPreeclampsia Without Protein in Urine? | Inciteful MedWhat BP Medications Are Safe During Preeclampsia?What is the sFlt-1/PlGF Ratio Test? | Inciteful MedWhat Causes Upper Right Abdominal Pain in Preeclampsia?What Causes Preeclampsia and Can It Be Prevented?Is It Preeclampsia or White Coat Hypertension?

References

References (24)
  1. 1

    Gestational hypertensive disorders and retinal microvasculature: the Generation R Study.

    Benschop L, Schalekamp-Timmermans S, Roeters van Lennep JE, et al.

    BMC medicine 2017; (15(1)):153 doi:10.1186/s12916-017-0917-2.

    PMID: 28803548
  2. 2

    Premature cardiovascular disease following a history of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy.

    McDonald EG, Dayan N, Pelletier R, et al.

    International journal of cardiology 2016; (219()):9-13.

    PMID: 27257849
  3. 3

    Literature Overview of Association Between Preeclampsia and Cardiovascular Risk.

    Yang Q, Han K, Wang J, Zou Y

    Anatolian journal of cardiology 2023; (27(4)):179-184 doi:10.14744/AnatolJCardiol.2023.2865.

    PMID: 36995054
  4. 4

    Preeclampsia and Future Cardiovascular Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Wu P, Haththotuwa R, Kwok CS, et al.

    Circulation. Cardiovascular quality and outcomes 2017; (10(2)) doi:10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.116.003497.

    PMID: 28228456
  5. 5

    Recurrence of pre-eclampsia and the risk of future hypertension and cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Brouwers L, van der Meiden-van Roest AJ, Savelkoul C, et al.

    BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology 2018; (125(13)):1642-1654 doi:10.1111/1471-0528.15394.

    PMID: 29978553
  6. 6

    Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy and Subsequent Risk of Premature Mortality.

    Wang YX, Arvizu M, Rich-Edwards JW, et al.

    Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2021; (77(10)):1302-1312 doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2021.01.018.

    PMID: 33706872
  7. 7

    Preeclampsia Predicts Risk of Hospitalization for Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction.

    Williams D, Stout MJ, Rosenbloom JI, et al.

    Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2021; (78(23)):2281-2290 doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2021.09.1360.

    PMID: 34857089
  8. 8

    Early Mortality, Cardiovascular, and Renal Diseases in Women's Lives Following Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: The Prospective Nationwide Study CONCEPTION.

    Lailler G, Grave C, Gabet A, et al.

    Journal of the American Heart Association 2024; (13(8)):e033252 doi:10.1161/JAHA.123.033252.

    PMID: 38563390
  9. 9

    Subtypes and onset of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and cardiovascular disease within 5 years after delivery.

    Hu H, Savitz DA, Shenkman EA

    Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine 2026; (13()):1701507 doi:10.3389/fcvm.2026.1701507.

    PMID: 41798618
  10. 10

    Recurrent or first preeclampsia in multiparae: A case-control study of singleton pregnancies in Reunion Island.

    Tran PL, Robillard PY, Dumont C, et al.

    European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology 2019; (240()):80-86 doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2019.06.013.

    PMID: 31234061
  11. 11

    Patterns of Gestational Hypertension or Preeclampsia Across 2 Pregnancies in Relationship to Chronic Hypertension Development: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

    Mussa J, Rahme E, Dahhou M, et al.

    Journal of the American Heart Association 2024; (13(13)):e034777 doi:10.1161/JAHA.124.034777.

    PMID: 38904245
  12. 12

    Update on sex specific risk factors in cardiovascular disease.

    Nguyen AH, Hurwitz M, Sullivan SA, et al.

    Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine 2024; (11()):1352675 doi:10.3389/fcvm.2024.1352675.

    PMID: 38380176
  13. 13

    Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Unique Opportunities for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Women: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

    Parikh NI, Gonzalez JM, Anderson CAM, et al.

    Circulation 2021; (143(18)):e902-e916 doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000961.

    PMID: 33779213
  14. 14

    Co-designing an intervention for cardiovascular disease risk assessment and management after hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in primary care.

    Slater K, Taylor R, McLaughlin K, et al.

    Health research policy and systems 2025; (23(1)):23 doi:10.1186/s12961-024-01269-6.

    PMID: 39979977
  15. 15

    Cardiovascular Disease-Related Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalization among Women with Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy.

    Avorgbedor F, McCoy TP, Gondwe KW, et al.

    American journal of preventive medicine 2023; (64(5)):686-694 doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2023.01.004.

    PMID: 36863895
  16. 16

    Cardiovascular Complications of Pregnancy.

    Gongora MC, Wenger NK

    International journal of molecular sciences 2015; (16(10)):23905-28 doi:10.3390/ijms161023905.

    PMID: 26473833
  17. 17

    Impact of different types of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and their duration on incident post-partum risk of diabetes mellitus: Results from the French nationwide study CONCEPTION.

    Lailler G, Fosse-Edorh S, Lebreton E, et al.

    Diabetes & metabolism 2024; (50(5)):101564 doi:10.1016/j.diabet.2024.101564.

    PMID: 39059484
  18. 18

    Factors associated with early readmission for postpartum hypertension.

    Pressman K, Wellcome J, Pooran C, et al.

    AJOG global reports 2024; (4(2)):100323 doi:10.1016/j.xagr.2024.100323.

    PMID: 38919706
  19. 19

    Preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and cardiovascular disease risk: a genetic epidemiological study.

    Taageby Nielsen S, Luo J, Tybjærg-Hansen A, et al.

    European heart journal 2025; (46(41)):4316-4325 doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf565.

    PMID: 40900121
  20. 20

    Incidence of postpartum hypertension within 2 years of a pregnancy complicated by pre-eclampsia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Giorgione V, Ridder A, Kalafat E, et al.

    BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology 2021; (128(3)):495-503 doi:10.1111/1471-0528.16545.

    PMID: 32981216
  21. 21

    Healthy lifestyle reduces cardiovascular risk in women with genetic predisposition to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

    Jung SH, Kim H, Jung YM, et al.

    Nature communications 2025; (16(1)):1463 doi:10.1038/s41467-025-56107-2.

    PMID: 39920105
  22. 22

    The hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (29.3).

    Magee LA, Pels A, Helewa M, et al.

    Best practice & research. Clinical obstetrics & gynaecology 2015; (29(5)):643-57.

    PMID: 26141795
  23. 23

    Severe cardiovascular morbidity in women with hypertensive diseases during delivery hospitalization.

    Ackerman CM, Platner MH, Spatz ES, et al.

    American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 2019; (220(6)):582.e1-582.e11 doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2019.02.010.

    PMID: 30742823
  24. 24

    A Descriptive Qualitative Study of Breastfeeding Challenges, Enablers and Confidence Among Women With Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy.

    Semenic S, Castiglione SA, Benea C, et al.

    Journal of human lactation : official journal of International Lactation Consultant Association 2025; (41(4)):554-565 doi:10.1177/08903344251369419.

    PMID: 41065092

This page provides educational information about long-term cardiovascular risk after preeclampsia. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your primary care physician or cardiologist for personalized long-term monitoring and care.

Get notified when new evidence is published on Preeclampsia.

We monitor PubMed for new peer-reviewed studies on this topic and email a short summary when something meaningful changes.