Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Are Associated with Excess Early Mortality in Offspring

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), encompassing hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia, are important causes of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. In children of affected women, HDP have been associated with subsequent morbidity, including metabolic syndrome, immune diseases, and neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, but possible associations with mortality are unclear.

Using Danish health registries, investigators identified 2.4 million children born between 1978 and 2018, 4% of whom were exposed to HDP. During 41 years of follow-up, offspring exposed to HDP had significantly higher mortality than children who were not exposed (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.26). Significant excess risk was observed for deaths due to c…