Study: Pregnancy Blood Pressure Disorders Are Up 74%
Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy rose 74% over eight years in the United States, jumping from about 63 to 109 per 1,000 live births between 2016 and 2024, according to an analysis of more than 33 million U.S. births published in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
The increase cut across every racial and ethnic group. By 2024, American Indian and Alaska Native mothers had the highest rate, at about 144 per 1,000 live births, followed by Black mothers at about 133 per 1,000.
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Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including preeclampsia and gestational hypertension, are among the leading causes of maternal death and preterm birth in the U.S. They now affect more than 1 in 10 pregnancies.
Researchers point to rising rates of chronic hypertension, obesity, and older age at delivery as contributing factors to the overall trend. None of those fully explains the magnitude of the increase or the size of the racial disparities. The study does not identify a single cause.
The gap between racial groups reflects both higher baseline prevalence of underlying conditions and disparities in the likelihood of receiving timely monitoring and treatment. American Indian, Alaska Native, and Black mothers bear the highest burden of both incidence and adverse outcomes.