Women who develop high blood pressure during pregnancy, even once, may be at an increased risk of developing heart disease, kidney disease or diabetes later in life, a new study has found.

Previous research has found that women who develop pre-eclampsia (dangerously high blood pressure) during pregnancy are at an increased risk of developing heart and kidney disease.

However, scientists decided to investigate the potential effects of less serious types of high blood pressure, which can be common in many pregnant women.

Over a 40-year period, they monitored the progress of women who had babies in the 1960s, calculating their risk of heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes later in life.

Of the women, one in three had recorded at least one high blood pressure measurement while pregnant.

The study found that women who had high blood pressure during pregnancy had a 14-100% higher risk of developing heart disease later in life, compared to women with normal blood pressure throughout their pregnancy.

Women with high blood pressure were also up to five times more likely to later die of a heart attack.

These women also had a two-fold increased risk of developing diabetes later in life, as well as a similar risk of developing kidney disease.

"All of the later life risks were similar in pregnant women who could otherwise be considered low risk - those who were young, normal weight, non-smokers, with no diabetes during pregnancy," explained lead scientist, Dr Tuija Männistö, of the US National Institutes of Health in Maryland.

She added that women who have had high blood pressure during pregnancy, or who are diagnosed with it for the first time, ‘might benefit from comprehensive heart disease risk factor checks by their physicians'. This, she believes, could lower their risk of developing heart disease in the long-term.

Details of these findings are published in the journal, Circulation.

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