Children born to mothers with cardiometabolic health issues before or during pregnancy may face a higher risk of elevated blood pressure in childhood and adolescence, according to a new study funded by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
High blood pressure in childhood often continues into adulthood and is linked to a greater risk of heart problems later in life. This ECHO research offers insights into how a mother’s heart and metabolic health before and during pregnancy may contribute to her child’s long-term cardiovascular well-being.
The study analyzed data from 12,480 mother-child pairs in the ECHO Program. Researchers looked at how three maternal cardiometabolic risk factors—pre-pregnancy obesity, gestational diabetes, and high blood pressure during pregnancy—were related to children’s blood pressure from ages 2 to 18.
Key Findings:
“With declines in cardiometabolic health, it’s important to focus on prevention starting as early as possible,” said ECHO researcher Zhongzheng Niu, PhD, of the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. “Our study suggests that helping people improve their health before and during pregnancy could benefit both mothers and future generations."
The researchers in this study call for further studies to understand how combinations of maternal health issues and broader social and structural factors contribute to these long-term risks.
This collaborative research is published in JAMA Network Open .
Niu, Z. Maternal Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Pregnancy and Offspring Blood Pressure at Age 2-18 Years. JAMA Network Open, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.9205.
About ECHO
The ECHO Cohort Consortium is a research program supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with the mission to enhance the health of children for generations to come. ECHO Cohort investigators study the effects of a broad range of early environmental influences on child health and development. For more information, visit echochildren.org .
JAMA Network Open
10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.9205
Observational study
People
Maternal Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Pregnancy and Offspring Blood Pressure at Age 2-18 Years
8-May-2025