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(February 20, 2026) Blood values during pregnancy provide clues about future cardiovascular disease. Consultation hours for affected women have been set up at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg.

Pregnancy places a particular strain on women's bodies – and can therefore provide early indications of future cardiovascular health. This has been demonstrated by researchers at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg in collaboration with Danish colleagues in a recent study. They examined the blood of over 2,000 pregnant women and linked the results with health data from around twelve years of follow-up. The study showed that women with elevated levels of a certain blood marker were more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases such as stroke or heart failure later in life – even if they had previously been considered to have a healthy heart. The results of the long-term study were published on February 18, 2026, in the journal JAMA Cardiology. As a consequence of these findings, a special consultation hour for affected women was set up at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg.

Improving women's health in the long term

"Pregnancy acts as a natural stress test for the heart. With our findings, we can improve women's health in the long term. Cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of death in women," says Prof. Dr. Dirk Westermann, Medical Director of the Department of Cardiology and Angiology at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg. "Our study shows that signs of an increased cardiovascular risk later in life can already be found during pregnancy – long before any symptoms appear," says first author and scientific director of the study Dr. Lucas Bacmeister, cardiologist at the Department of Cardiology and Angiology at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg.

Blood values from over 2,000 women, twelve years of follow-up 

The data came from a large cohort study in southern Denmark involving 38,455 pregnant women. Blood markers were measured in 2,056 women during pregnancy, and within approximately 12 years, 28 developed cardiovascular disease. At that time, the women were on average just 40 years old. 

The study showed that elevated levels of the blood marker sFlt-1 in the last trimester of pregnancy and pregnancy-induced hypertension were associated with a higher subsequent risk of severe cardiovascular disease. The combination of age and this marker enabled a more accurate risk assessment than classic factors such as blood pressure or cholesterol alone.

New follow-up consultation closes gap in care

Six to ten percent of all pregnant women are affected by pregnancy-induced hypertension, also known as preeclampsia. The most common form is called preeclampsia. In order to provide comprehensive care for these women after childbirth and minimize later risks, a specialized follow-up consultation has been set up at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg. This is also open to women with pregnancy-induced hypertension who did not give birth at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg. "With this consultation, we are creating a clear point of contact for women who have had pregnancy-induced hypertension," says Bacmeister, who coordinates the consultation. "With standardized appointments a few weeks after the birth and again after one year, we can identify early on who needs closer care and take targeted countermeasures."

The consultation is being developed in close collaboration with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. "Structured follow-up care is an important step in monitoring the long-term health of patients," adds Prof. Dr. Ingolf Juhasz-Böss, head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg. An accompanying scientific registry will help to continuously develop the service.

Original title of the publication: Clinical Factors and Biomarkers During Pregnancy and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
DOI: https://doi.org/10.100....2025.5595
Publication: JAMA Cardiology, February 18, 2026

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