@genx.melanie: What if I told you that preeclampsia isn’t necessarily a nine-month problem? What if I told you that complications of pregnancy might have lifelong impact? Researchers have found that women who’ve experienced preeclampsia have higher risks of hypertension, heart disease, stroke and kidney disease years—even decades—later. There’s even emerging research concerning the BRAIN. A systematic review/meta-analysis found an association between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and later dementia/cognitive impairment, although this evidence is newer and less established than the cardiovascular evidence. And researchers are also finding differences in blood pressure, metabolic health and neurodevelopment among children exposed to preeclampsia before birth. So maybe the question isn’t just: ‘Did Mom and baby survive the pregnancy?’ Maybe we should also be asking: ‘What follow-up does Mom and baby need for the years that come after?
