Pregnancy heart risk appears to reflect baseline health more than age alone

Summary: People often think that getting pregnant when you are older is automatically more dangerous for your heart. But a massive new study of 2.7 million people shows that age itself is not the main problem.

Instead, doctors say pregnancy acts like a giant stress test for your body. It takes whatever heart health risks you already have and multiplies them. During pregnancy and right after birth, the chance of having a major heart issue goes up about seven times. This happens to everyone, no matter their age.

Because of this, a healthy 40-year-old might actually have a safer pregnancy than a 25-year-old who struggles with high blood pressure or bad cholesterol. The most common problems are blood clots and heart failure. The study also found that Black mothers face higher risks, which points to unfair differences in how healthcare is given and how risks are managed, rather than just age.

The big lesson is that doctors and mothers need to focus on fixing blood pressure, cholesterol, and overall heart health before the baby arrives, instead of just worrying about how old the mother is.

For more details, see rssapp-diabetes-co-uk at diabetes.co.uk/news/2026/may/pregnancy-heart-risk-appears-to-reflect-baseline-health-more-than-age-alone.html (opens in new tab)