People born to mothers who had a placental abruption during pregnancy may face a significantly higher risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease by the age of 28, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The study, which analyzed nearly 3 million births in New Jersey from 1993 to 2020, found that offspring from pregnancies complicated by placental abruption were about three times more likely to be hospitalized for cardiovascular disease and 4.6 times more likely to die from a cardiovascular event within 28 years of birth, compared to those without this complication.
Placental abruption occurs when the placenta separates from the uterus before delivery, a condition that can cause severe hemorrhaging and poses serious risks for both mother and baby. According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, placental abruption affects 0.5% to 1% of pregnancies. Study lead author Cande Ananth, Ph.D., M.P.H., chief of the division of epidemiology and biostatistics at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, emphasized that the findings underscore the need to take placental abruption seriously not only for maternal health but also for the long-term cardiovascular health of the child.
The research, part of the Placental Abruption and Cardiovascular Event Risk (PACER) project, reviewed hospitalization and mortality records for children up to 28 years after birth. Among the 2,949,992 pregnancies studied, 28,641 (approximately 1%) were affected by placental abruption. Children exposed to abruption faced nearly three times the risk of hospitalization for heart-related conditions such as heart failure, ischemic heart disease, heart attack, and blocked arteries, and 2.4 times higher risk of stroke hospitalization. The association persisted even after controlling for genetic and environmental factors through sibling analysis, suggesting a direct link between the complication and later cardiovascular risk.
“Placental abruption is a sudden and often catastrophic event that cannot be prevented and comes with no warning,” Ananth said. “Health care professionals should support patients in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, avoiding smoking, alcohol, and illegal drugs, and controlling blood pressure, as these are linked to abruption.” Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association, noted that while pregnancy complications are known to increase maternal heart disease risk, this study highlights the importance of monitoring the children as well. “The findings 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,” she said.
The study authors call for more research to understand the mechanisms linking placental abruption to child cardiovascular health, as this is among the first studies to establish such a connection. Limitations include the retrospective design, which cannot prove cause and effect. Nevertheless, the results suggest that children born after placental abruption may benefit from early and sustained cardiovascular monitoring.
