A new study found that women who experience hypertensive disorders during pregnancy may face a greater risk of cognitive decline by midlife. The study followed more than 2,600 women over three decades as part of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, where researchers found that those with a history of preeclampsia or gestational hypertension scored lower on tests of memory, processing speed, and executive function. The study is one of the first to link pregnancy complications to long-term cognitive performance using longitudinal data from a large, diverse cohort. These findings suggest that hypertensive disorders of pregnancy may be early indicators of future brain health challenges, particularly for Black women, who were disproportionately affected in the study.
Erica Gunderson, PhD, MS, MPH, Professor of Health Systems Science at Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, co-authored the study, “Reduced circulating sphingolipids and CERS2 activity are linked to T2D risk and impaired insulin secretion,” which was published in Science Advances. Dr. Gunderson, also a senior research scientist with Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s Division of Research, has long explored how reproductive health influences chronic disease risk. She notes that the study underscores the need for ongoing monitoring and early preventive strategies for women with hypertensive pregnancies, to help protect both heart and brain health later in life.
