U.S. Pregnancy High Blood Pressure Rate Hits 1 in 10, Up 73% Since 2016
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 29
U.S. Pregnancy High Blood Pressure Rate Hits 1 in 10, Up 73% Since 2016
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 29
Summary
One in 10 U.S. pregnant women had high blood pressure in 2024, up from about 1 in 17 in 2016, according to a CDC report released Wednesday.
The figures, drawn from hospital birth certificates, exclude chronic hypertension diagnosed before pregnancy, though that condition also has been rising and affects about 3.7% of pregnancies.
High blood pressure in pregnancy is a leading driver of pregnancy-related death and disease, raising risks of preterm birth, low birth weight, stillbirth, placental abruption and organ failure.
Doctors said the increase appears across races, ages and regions, and may be undercounted on birth certificates, suggesting the true rate could be higher.