A study published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association reveals that placental abruption—a condition where the placenta separates from the uterus before delivery—may increase the child's risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease by age 28. Researchers found that individuals born to mothers with placental abruption were about 4.6 times more likely to die from a cardiovascular event and nearly three times more likely to be hospitalized for heart-related conditions compared to those without this complication.
Analyzing data from nearly 3 million births in New Jersey between 1993 and 2020, the study tracked offspring for up to 28 years. Among the 28,641 pregnancies affected by placental abruption (approximately 1% of the total), the risks for cardiovascular disease, heart failure, heart attack, and stroke were substantially elevated. Even after adjusting for genetic and environmental factors by comparing siblings, the association remained strong, suggesting the complication itself plays a role.
“Placental abruption is a sudden and often catastrophic event that cannot be prevented and comes with no warning,” said lead author Cande Ananth, Ph.D., M.P.H., chief of the division of epidemiology and biostatistics at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. “Our study suggests that placental abruption needs to be taken as a very serious complication for the mother and also potentially affecting the baby’s cardiovascular health later in life.” He emphasized that children born from such pregnancies should be monitored for heart and stroke-related conditions as they grow up.
The American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics note that placental abruption occurs in 0.5% to 1% of pregnancies. Risk factors include advanced maternal age, multiple gestations, smoking, alcohol use, cocaine use, and high blood pressure. The study authors stress that while the condition cannot be prevented, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and controlling blood pressure are crucial.
“We know that women who have complications during pregnancy are often at higher risk for heart disease and stroke, and that’s why the American Heart Association recommends closely monitoring these women, especially in the first three months to a year after birth,” said Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association. “The findings of this study reinforce that it is also important to monitor their babies for risks and identify opportunities to reduce the potential impact these complications may have on them not only right after birth, but throughout their lifetime.”
The study, part of the Placental Abruption and Cardiovascular Event Risk (PACER) project, is among the first to link placental abruption to long-term cardiovascular risk in offspring. However, the authors caution that the observational design cannot prove cause and effect. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms, which may involve impaired oxygen and nutrient delivery during fetal development leading to altered cardiovascular programming.
These findings underscore the importance of integrated care that includes cardio-obstetrics and pediatric programs to support mothers and their children after pregnancy complications. The full study is available in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
