Plea to raise awareness of risk of deadly illnesses in women with pre-eclampsia

Women who have suffered a serious illness in pregnancy are being kept in the dark about worrying risks of strokes and heart attacks later in life.

Scottish researchers have found that women with pre-eclampsia are almost three times as likely to go on to have a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular illness in middle age.

Between five and 10% of pregnant women suffer pre-eclampsia (PE), a potentially-lethal disease linked to high blood pressure, which risks the lives of mothers and their babies. And its legacy can come back to haunt mothers decades later.

Researchers from Glasgow and Edinburgh Universities, who carried out the study, are calling for uniform guidelines to save mothers’ lives.

Test yet to be made available

The warning comes after The Sunday Post revealed a vital test for the condition – promised more than a year ago – is yet to be made available in any health board area.

The researchers say their study “supports the urgent need for uniform guidelines and implementation to improve the health in women with this medical history. Increased awareness of the cardiovascular risk associated with PE is vital to aid uptake of cardiovascular prevention programmes,” they add.

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The European Society of Cardiology warns the condition predisposes women to a fourfold risk of a heart attack years after childbirth.

Emeritus Professor James Walker, a leading specialist in hypertension in pregnancy and its long-term effects, said this shows that women who have had PE should be monitored for further health conditions.

He said: “Women who have had PE should be given a phone app which allows them to send recordings of their blood pressure, weight and exercise to a hospital screening portal to spot a risk of serious illness.”

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The Dundee-born obstetrician who pioneered research into pre-eclampsia while a consultant in Glasgow, added: “It is vital to screen patients to prevent serious illness and save on NHS treatment in the future. There is a gap of 10 to 15 or more years between women with pre-eclampsia leaving hospital and presenting with cardiovascular disease.

“The Sunday Post exposed that women with the condition are not being tested, unlike mothers in England. This would detect women at risk early and allow doctors to advise on urgent lifestyles changes as well as drugs for high blood pressure if needed. Home monitors are advancing and much of this screening can be done by the patients.”

Pre-eclampsia risks

Pre-eclampsia can be passed from mother to daughter with children having a 25% risk of developing it, and a 33% risk if a sister has had it, Professor Walker adds.

“We did some preliminary research in Glasgow some years ago and long-term follow-up work in Iceland. You have to look at what is causing the pre-eclampsia. Women who get pre-eclampsia may inherently be at risk of cardiovascular disease.”

Marcus Green, CEO of Action on Pre-eclampsia, said: “Pre-eclampsia is a serious risk to mothers and their babies and we need the Scottish Government to protect them from this throughout their lives. We look forward to meeting First Minister John Swinney to address this.”

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MSP Tess White, Conservative Women’s Health spokesperson became ill while she was pregnant with her son James. She said: “It is extremely concerning many women with pre-eclampsia during pregnancy are unaware of the risks to heart health later in life. Prevention and monitoring are key. If an app can help, surely it is both life-saving and cost-effective for the NHS.”

The Scottish Government said that all pregnant women now receive a publication – Ready, Steady, Baby – which details the increased risk of high blood pressure, stroke or heart disease in later life for pre-eclampsia women. “The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has an online leaflet that highlights this later risk for women who have pre-eclampsia in pregnancy.

“We are aware of the possible use of technologies to monitor blood pressure, which can help women manage the continuing risks of pre-eclampsia. The government notes this research and would be interested to receive any proposals for how such technologies might be used more widely.”