HDP affect up to 10% of pregnancies in the United States and are associated with cardiovascular disease. Up to half of women with HDP develop hypertension during the postpartum period.
New Research Targets Postpartum Hypertension to Prevent Recurrent Pregnancy Complications
Boston, MA — Dr. Samantha Parker Kelleher, associate professor of epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH), has been awarded a five-year, $3.2 million grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The project will investigate the role of postpartum hypertension in recurrent hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), including preeclampsia and gestational hypertension.
Dr. Christina Yarrington, a maternal fetal medicine specialist, will serve as co-principal investigator.
The Problem with Recurrent HDP
HDP affect up to 10% of pregnancies in the United States and are a known risk factor for future cardiovascular disease. Notably, up to half of women who experience HDP develop hypertension during the postpartum period—the first six weeks after birth.
Currently, the only evidence-based preventive treatment for recurrent HDP is low-dose aspirin, which must be prescribed early in subsequent pregnancies.
Study Design & Data
Researchers will analyze health data from approximately 3,500 Boston Medical Center (BMC) patients from 2016 to 2025 who have had at least two children and experienced HDP.
The study will leverage data from BMC’s home blood pressure monitoring program, launched in 2020. Patients receive a cloud-connected blood pressure cuff that transmits readings automatically via cellular technology, allowing for continuous, real-world data collection.
Key Research Questions
The study will focus on four critical areas:
- Quantify the role of postpartum hypertension on recurrent HDP.
- Assess the effect of lowering the blood pressure threshold for prescribing antihypertensive medications—from the current standard of 150/100 mmHg down to 140/90 mmHg.
- Examine the effect of breastfeeding and breastfeeding duration on the risk of recurrent HDP.
- Explore how factors such as weight change and primary care engagement influence recurrence risk.
Investigators
The research team includes a diverse group of specialists:
- Dr. Erica Holland, obstetrician-gynecologist at BMC and assistant professor at BU's Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.
- Dr. Katherine Standish, family medicine physician and codirector of BMC's Breastfeeding and Lactation Medicine Center.
- Dr. Sarah Gordon, associate professor of health law, policy & management at BUSPH.
- Dr. Kerrie Nelson, research professor in biostatistics at BUSPH.
“Up to half of women with HDP develop hypertension during the postpartum period—the first six weeks after birth.”
This research aims to close critical gaps in postpartum care and provide actionable data to prevent hypertensive disorders in subsequent pregnancies.