Racial Differences in Postpartum Blood Pressure Trajectories Among Women After a Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy

Key Points Question Does postpartum blood pressure trajectory after a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy differ by race? Findings In this prospective cohort study that included 1077 women after a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, blood pressure trajectories evaluated using mixed-effects linear regression models differed significantly by self-reported race. At the conclusion of the study, 68% of Black women and 51% of White women met the criteria for stage 1 or stage 2 hypertension. Meaning This study suggests that postpartum blood pressure trajectories indicate persistence of higher blood pressures among Black women in this cohort, which may have important implications for postpartum morbidity and mortality associated with hypertensive and cardiovascular conditions in this population.