Health
Pregnancy-related high blood pressure increased 73 percent from 2016 to 2024, CDC analysis shows
A federal report indicates the condition now affects about one in 10 pregnant women in the United States.
The short version
- A CDC analysis found that the rate of high blood pressure among pregnant individuals in the U.S. rose by 73 percent between 2016 and 2024.
- The condition now affects roughly one in 10 pregnant women, with the highest rates reported among Black and Native American women, patients aged 40 and older, and individuals categorized as obese.
- Medical specialists point to shifting maternal demographics and higher BMI as contributing factors, while highlighting long-term cardiovascular risks.
Key facts
- The rate of high blood pressure during pregnancy in the U.S. rose 73 percent between 2016 and 2024, reaching approximately 10 percent of pregnancies according to CDC data.[Scientific American]
- Birth certificate tracking shows that cases of gestational hypertension have been climbing since data collection began in 1989.[Scientific American]
- In 2024, gestational hypertension rates were highest among Native American and Black women, individuals aged 40 and older, and those with an obese body mass index.[Scientific American]
- Maternal-fetal medicine specialists attribute the rising incidence to factors including older maternal age, higher average BMI, and multiple births associated with in vitro fertilization.[Scientific American]
- The U.S. approved the first diagnostic blood test for preeclampsia in 2023, which evaluates the ratio of specific placental proteins.[Scientific American]
What remains uncertain
- A maternal-fetal medicine specialist noted that true rates of gestational hypertension may be undercounted due to incomplete reporting on birth certificates.[Scientific American]
Sources
- The risk of high blood pressure in pregnancy is rising—and the damage can be life-changingScientific American metered