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News
Women who experience hypertensive disorders during pregnancy may face a significantly higher risk of developing dementia later in life, according to a large Korean study tracking over 1.37 million women for about two decades. Those with pregnancy-related hypertension had nearly twice the dementia risk compared to those without. However, much of that risk appears to be mediated by post-delivery conditions like stroke and diabetes.
A large retrospective study published in JAMA Network Open found that women who experienced hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs) — including preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and eclampsia — had nearly double the risk of developing dementia over roughly 20 years compared to those with uncomplicated pregnancies. The study drew on data from over 1.37 million women in South Korea who gave birth between 2002 and 2005.
While the elevated dementia risk was statistically significant after adjusting for baseline factors, it lost significance once post-delivery vascular and metabolic conditions — like stroke and diabetes — were factored in, suggesting these downstream conditions may be key drivers of dementia risk rather than HDP alone.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: HDPs affect a meaningful share of pregnancies and are already known to raise cardiovascular risk. This study adds neurological risk to that picture, reinforcing the case for long-term, holistic follow-up care for women with a history of pregnancy-related hypertension.
