GREAT MILLS, Maryland (NBC) – Pregnancy-induced hypertension is a common condition.
Six to eight percent of all pregnant women will develop hypertension.
Typically it goes away once the baby is born, but now studies are showing that it's actually a risk factor for developing high blood pressure later in life.
"Over the next five to 15 years after that she is double the risk of developing hypertension," says cardiologist Dr. Susan Bennett. "So it's a unique opportunity to identify a woman prior to the actual development of the disease to try and do some early interventions."
Dr. Bennett says this new risk factor is a significant finding, especially since things like high blood pressure and heart disease are still under-diagnosed among women.
It gives doctors a new way to figure out which women should make lifestyle changes early on to avoid developing hypertension later in life.
Things like eating a low-sodium diet and adding more exercise into their daily routine can start now.
