Common condition in pregnancy ‘increases mum’s risk of killer heart problems’

WOMEN who have high blood pressure There is a higher risk of heart problems during pregnancy in the years after birth, experts say.

The findings come from a study of nearly half a million women and the effects of high blood pressure – known as hypertension – on heart health.

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Scientists from the UK found that women with any of the three high blood pressure conditions were more likely to have coronary artery disease and suffer a stroke.

However, no higher risk of other heart problems, such as heart failure or atrial fibrillation, which cause an irregular heartbeat, has been identified.

High blood pressure affects about 10 percent of all pregnant women and can occur in different degrees of severity.

There are three different types of high blood pressure conditions associated with pregnancy: chronic high blood pressure, gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia.

The study, published in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, supports previous research on the dangerous effects of high blood pressure on pregnant women.

One study found that pregnant women with preeclampsia were four times more likely to have a heart attack and three times more likely to have a stroke within 10 years of giving birth.

And they remained twice as likely to have heart problems as those without preeclampsia up to 20 years later

Other studies found that the disease can cause several deadly diseases in children later in life.

Researchers from Denmark and China have now found that children who were exposed to high blood pressure in the womb are 26 percent more likely to die before the age of 19 than children who were not exposed.

What are the symptoms of high blood pressure in pregnant women?

According to the NHS, symptoms include:

• Swelling of the feet, ankles, face and hands
• strong headache
• vision problems
• Pain just below the ribs

However, many people don’t notice the signs of high blood pressure, which means it’s usually picked up during routine prenatal appointments.