Managing Weight Before Pregnancy May Lower Heart Disease Risk: Study Finds - Video

Complications during pregnancy (or adverse pregnancy outcomes), like gestational diabetes and newly developed high blood pressure, act as nature’s stress test and may uncover an individual’s risk for heart disease later in life, according to new research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The study also highlights how weight management before pregnancy may not only improve maternal health but also reduce future

cardiovascular disease risk.

For the study, researchers tracked 4,269 pregnant women across nine countries, following up on outcomes over 10 to 14 years. They looked at measurements for blood pressure, triglycerides, fasting glucose, and hemoglobin A1c, comparing participants with overweight or obesity with those who had normal BMI. Secondary outcomes included incidence of hypertension or diabetes at the midlife follow-up.

They found that adverse pregnancy outcomes contributed significantly to the link between pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity and cardiovascular risk factors in midlife. In addition, different types of complications affect different health risks. Specifically, gestational diabetes enhanced risk for higher glucose and hemoglobin A1c, while hypertensive disorders contributed to risk for high blood pressure in midlife.

Jaclyn Borrowman, PhD, a researcher at Northwestern University and lead author of the study noted that, even though these pregnancy complications helped explain the link between pre-pregnancy weight and heart disease risk, they didn’t account for most of the connection—other factors are also involved.

“The study highlights the significance of adverse pregnancy outcomes as a risk-enhancing factor for cardiovascular disease,” Borrowman said. “Our results also suggest that prioritizing weight management among those considering pregnancy may promote both maternal and future cardiovascular health.”

Reference: Pre-Pregnancy Adiposity, Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes, and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Midlife was published in 2025, in JACC.