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The study from Karolinska Institutet shows that routine blood tests taken several years before pregnancy may be linked to the risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. This primarily concerns markers related to blood fats, blood sugar and inflammation.
The results should not be interpreted as meaning that blood tests can predict pregnancy complications with certainty. However, the study provides important knowledge about the connection between metabolic health, cardiovascular health and pregnancy.
For women planning pregnancy, it can therefore be valuable to know their basic health values – not to create anxiety, but to gain a better understanding of their own body and be able to monitor their health over time.
Pregnancy is a period when the body undergoes major changes. The heart works harder, blood volume increases, and metabolism is affected to support both the mother and the growing baby. For most, this happens without major problems – but some develop complications such as gestational hypertension or preeclampsia.
A study from Karolinska Institutet, published in JAMA Network Open, shows that certain common blood tests may be linked to the risk of pregnancy complications several years before pregnancy begins.
Metabolic health can play a role long before pregnancy
The study analyzed data from over 35,000 women in Stockholm. The researchers examined blood samples taken several years before the women's first pregnancy and compared the results of those who remained healthy with those who later developed gestational hypertension or preeclampsia.
The researchers saw a connection between the future risk of gestational hypertension or preeclampsia and several markers linked to metabolic and cardiovascular health, including:
LDL cholesterol
triglycerides
ApoB
blood sugar-related markers
inflammation-related markers
This does not mean that these blood tests can predict exactly who will be affected. Nor does the study show that these values cause the complications. However, the results strengthen the theory that a woman's metabolic health before pregnancy may be important for how the body handles the burden of pregnancy.
Pregnancy as a stress test for the body
Researchers sometimes describe pregnancy as a kind of biological stress test for the cardiovascular system and metabolism. During pregnancy, the body needs to adapt quickly to major physiological changes. If there is already an underlying vulnerability, it may in some cases become more apparent.
It has also been known for some time that women who have had preeclampsia have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. Therefore, interest in the connection between pregnancy, metabolism, and future health is growing.
Common blood fats in a new context
Markers such as LDL, triglycerides and ApoB are currently used mainly in the assessment of cardiovascular risk,. The new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that the same markers may also be relevant from a reproductive perspective.
This does not mean that everyone planning a pregnancy needs to undergo extensive tests or be concerned about individual values. But the results contribute to a greater understanding of how the body's metabolic health is connected to several different parts of health - including pregnancy.
Important not to place blame
It is important to remember that pregnancy complications are complex and are influenced by many factors. Genetics, immunological mechanisms, age, lifestyle and other biological factors also play a role.
Many women who develop preeclampsia or gestational hypertension have never had any clearly abnormal tests before. At the same time, many with elevated blood lipids go through pregnancies without complications.
The purpose of the research is therefore not to create guilt or concern, but to increase understanding of women's health and, in the long term, to improve the possibilities for preventive care and earlier risk identification.
A growing focus on women's long-term health
Historically, much research on pregnancy has focused on the pregnancy itself. This type of study broadens the perspective and shows that women's metabolic health before pregnancy can also be important.
In the long term, it can contribute to:
better risk assessment
earlier preventive interventions
increased understanding of women's cardiovascular health
more personalized care
