Key clinical point: Offspring who were exposed in utero to any subtype of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy (HDP) were at an increased risk for higher blood pressure (BP) than those with no exposure.
Major finding: In utero exposure vs no exposure to HDP was associated with higher systolic BP (mean difference 2.46 mm Hg; 95% CI 1.88-3.03 mm Hg) in offspring. Higher systolic BP was also observed in offspring exposed vs not exposed in utero to HDP subtypes, including pregnancy-associated hypertension, preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and chronic hypertension.
Study details: Findings are from a systematic review and meta-analysis of 24 cohort studies including 3839 offspring who were exposed to HDP in utero and 57,977 offspring from normotensive mothers.
Disclosures: This study was partly supported by Sichuan Science and Technology Program, China. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
Source: Yu H et al. Association between hypertensive disorders during pregnancy and elevated blood pressure in offspring: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2022 (Sep 12). Doi: 10.1111/jch.14577