Rates of pre-eclampsia, hypertension in pregnancy up 40% over 10 years, study says – CBC

Researchers looked at 2.8 million Canadian hospital deliveries from 2012 to 2021

Jul 29, 2024

The rate of high blood pressure disorders in pregnancy has risen over the last decade in Canada, a new study suggests.

The research, published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found that rates of hypertension and pre-eclampsia increased by 40 per cent between 2012 and 2021.

“Blood pressure remains a cornerstone of maternal health monitoring during pregnancy,” senior author Dr. Joel Ray, who is also a clinician-scientist in obstetrical medicine at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, said in an interview.

High blood pressure — also called hypertension — during pregnancy is dangerous for both the mother and fetus, but it can be identified with regular monitoring and can be prevented in many cases with low-dose Aspirin in women identified as being at risk, Ray said.

In addition, there are highly effective blood pressure medications that are “definitively safe” to take during pregnancy, he said.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/blood-pressure-pregnancy-study-1.7278904