Pregnancy Complications Increase Risk of Ischemic Stroke at Younger Age
Although stroke is not common in pregnancy or childbearing years, pregnancy can increase the risk of stroke.
Women with a history of pregnancy complications could be at an increased risk of ischemic stroke at a younger age, particularly atherosclerotic stroke, according to results of a study published in Neurology. Although stroke is not common in pregnancy or childbearing years, pregnancy can increase the risk of stroke.1,2
Although stroke is not common in pregnancy or childbearing years, pregnancy can increase the risk of stroke. | Image Credit: BazziBa - stock.adobe.com
“While the overall risk of stroke is still very low, our study found pregnancy complications may be an early warning sign of stroke risk—even before age 50,” Frank-Erik De Leeuw, MD, PhD, of Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, said in a news release.3 “Knowing this history could help doctors identify those who may benefit from early prevention and cardiovascular care.”
Some of the risk factors leading to stroke after pregnancy include high blood pressure during pregnancy, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and blood clots, according to the CDC. Pregnancy creates added stress in the body, which can strain the heart and blood vessels—either through carrying more weight in the body or changing hormones. Oftentimes, women may mistake stroke symptoms for issues related to pregnancy or postbirth, which can include headache, dizziness, and tingling arms. Other symptoms of stroke include sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg; sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty breathing; sudden trouble seeing; sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination; or a sudden severe headache with no known cause.2
There were a total of 358 women with ischemic stroke, including 736 previous pregnancies and 714 women without stroke with 1413 pregnancies. Approximately 50.8% of women with ischemic stroke experience 1 or more pregnancy complications compared with 30.7% of those without stroke. The most common complications included hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP; 24.9%), HDP in multiple pregnancies (10.3%), preeclampsia (12%), SGA (24.4%), preterm birth (19.4%), gestational diabetes (5.3%), stillbirth (3.4%), and miscarriage (33.5%). Further, women with ischemic stroke at a younger age were likely due to large artery disease, which includes risk factors such as HDP, HDP in multiple pregnancies, SGA, and preterm birth.1
“Doctors should ask about pregnancy history when assessing stroke risk,” De Leeuw said in the news release. “Our study suggests we may need to start thinking about cardiovascular prevention earlier in life—not just after menopause. Future studies should investigate the effects of lifestyle modification aimed at reducing cardiovascular risk in women with complications during pregnancy.”
READ MORE: Women's Health Resource Center
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REFERENCES
1. Verburgt E, Hilkens NA, Verhoeven JI, et al. History of Pregnancy Complications and the Risk of Ischemic Stroke in Young Women. Neurology. 2025;105(5):e214009. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000214009
2. CDC. About pregnancy and stroke. June 6, 2024. Accessed August 8, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/about/pregnancy-and-stroke.html
3. Complicated pregnancies linked to higher risk of early stroke. News release. American Academy of Neurology. August 6, 2025. Accessed August 8, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1093620
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