Timing is Key to the Health Effects of Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension.

Offspring exposed to hypertension in the first trimester of pregnancy had reduced later-life disease risks, but those exposed in later trimesters had increased risks, according to a PLOS ONE analysis of more than 750,000 live Danish births and medical diagnoses for up to 30 years after birth. Similar patterns were found for first-year mortality. The findings suggest a compromise between the reproductive interests of parents and offspring in early pregnancy, with hypertension leading to improved postpartum survival and health; however, hypertension in late pregnancy may reflect an unbalanced parent-offspring conflict at the detriment of maternal and offspring health.