Association seen for preterm delivery, smaller babies, labor induction, and neonatal intensive care unit admission<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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WEDNESDAY, Jan. 21, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Higher maternal blood pressure increases the risk for multiple adverse pregnancy and perinatal outcomes, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in BMC Medicine<\/em>.<\/p>\n Fernanda Morales\u2011Berstein, from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, and colleagues performed two-sample Mendelian randomization to assess the effect of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP\/DBP) during pregnancy on 16 primary and eight secondary adverse pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. The analysis included data from large-scale meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies (SBP\/DBP: 1,028,980 individuals; pregnancy and perinatal outcomes:\u200974,368 to 714,899).<\/p>\n The researchers found that a 10-mmHg higher genetically predicted maternal SBP increased the odds of gestational diabetes, induction of labor, low birth weight (LBW), small-for-gestational age, preterm birth, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission (odds ratios ranging from 1.11 for NICU admission to 1.33 for LBW). Conversely, a 10-mmHg higher genetically predicted maternal SBP decreased the odds of high birth weight, large-for-gestational age, and post-term birth (odds ratios ranging from 0.76 for high birth weight to 0.94 for post-term birth). There was no evidence that genetically predicted higher maternal SBP was associated with miscarriage or stillbirth. Similar patterns were seen for maternal DBP. <\/p>\n “By using genetic information to better isolate cause and effect, our study helps clarify whether a mother\u2019s blood pressure itself contributes to pregnancy and newborn complications,” coauthor Maria-Carolina Borges, Ph.D., also from the University of Bristol, said in a statement. “This matters for clinical care and public health, as it strengthens the evidence base needed to guide prevention, monitoring, and treatment strategies aimed at improving maternal and infant outcomes.”<\/p>\n