American Heart Association Mar 9 2026 Women who experience pregnancy complications, like preeclampsia, pre-term birth, stillbirth or having a baby that is small for gestational age, may face an increased risk for cardiovascular disease later in life. For those who report high stress levels during and after pregnancy, there is a more elevated risk for high blood pressure, even years after they deliver, according to new research published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association