A study from the University of Pittsburgh looked at the health status of 124 women one to three years after delivery.

During pregnancy, 36 of the women had pre-eclampsia, 33 had high blood pressure, and 24 developed gestational diabetes. The remaining 31 women acted as controls.

The team found that women with pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes had a four- to six-fold chance of being insulin resistant one to three years after giving birth.

Those with gestational diabetes had higher glucose levels post-delivery than the control group and were 12.5 per cent more likely to have high blood pressure after giving birth.

Women with pre-eclampsia or hypertension were 25 per cent more likely than the control group to have high blood pressure after delivery.

Dr Trevor Orchard, a co-investigator of the study, suggests that “simple steps” such as quitting smoking and drinking, exercising and eating a healthier diet can all “greatly improve health and reduce risk of heart disease”.

“Diabetes, pre-eclampsia and high blood pressure during pregnancy should be viewed as potential markers for an increase in heart disease risk factors after delivery.

“Pregnant women who have one or more of these conditions, and women who have had them while they were pregnant, should modify their lifestyles to reduce risk,” said Dr Orchard.

Source: American Diabetes Association

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