Hypertensive Disorders During Pregnancy and Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes
Preeclampsia and superimposed preeclampsia were associated with substantially higher maternal and neonatal risks, while gestational hypertension had outcomes similar to no hypertension. Obesity and prior preeclampsia were key predictors of progression to severe disease.
Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy are increasingly common and are linked to serious maternal and neonatal complications, as well as long-term cardiovascular risk for mothers. Because Medicaid covers a large share of U.S. births, understanding how different hypertensive disorders affect outcomes among these individuals is critical for prevention, risk stratification, and focused intervention.
Published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, this study used Medicaid claims data to examine maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with specific hypertensive disorders and to identify risk factors for progression to more severe disease. Results showed that preeclampsia and superimposed preeclampsia were associated with the highest risk of cesarean delivery, preterm birth, respiratory distress syndrome, and low birthweight.
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