Although blood pressure generally improves after delivery, experts do not know exactly what causes preeclampsia. In fact, preeclampsia can make you twice as likely to have a future heart attack or stroke and four times as likely to develop high blood pressure. If you’ve had preeclampsia, be sure you have regular follow-ups to monitor your heart health.
It is important for women to know this is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and to seek appropriate preventive care from an early age. The American Heart Association now considers a previous history of preeclampsia (or a history of gestational diabetes) to be a “major risk factor” as part of its system of risk assessment, alongside conditions such as hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, and other features such as smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, or family history.