November 13, 2025

Hypertension during pregnancy associated with long-term kidney complications

A large study assessing the long-term health of women after pregnancy suggests that preeclampsia—especially in severe cases—is linked to a higher risk of kidney disease later in life.

Preeclampsia is a common pregnancy condition in which the patient develops high blood pressure after 20 weeks of gestation. While it is known to cause short-term kidney problems during pregnancy, its long-term effects on kidney health have been less clear.

To explore this, Dr. Nathalie Auger and colleagues analyzed hospital records for more than 1.43 million women who delivered babies in Quebec, Canada, between April 1989 and March 2022. They assessed their risk of hospitalization for kidney complications for up to 34 years after pregnancy.

In total, five per cent of women in the study experienced preeclampsia in at least one pregnancy. These women were 1.45 times more likely to be hospitalized for kidney disease than those who did not develop preeclampsia. The most common hospitalizations were for diabetic kidney disease, vascular kidney disease, glomerulopathy, acute kidney failure, and chronic kidney failure.

Women with severe forms of preeclampsia—such as early-onset, recurrent, or superimposed cases—faced the highest risks. The increased risk remained throughout the study period but was strongest within the first five years after pregnancy.

The authors suggest that people who experience preeclampsia may benefit from ongoing kidney health monitoring after pregnancy to detect problems early and help prevent further complications.