Early Life Stress and Blood Pressure Trajectories in Black and White Perinatal Women
Principal Investigator
The maternal death rate in the United States has more than doubled in the past 30 years and is the highest among developed countries. Pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders are the leading cause of maternal deaths, and Black women are disproportionately affected. Currently, blood pressure classification is used to identify risk of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy. However, studying trajectories of blood pressure change can provide a more dynamic understanding of racial differences in risk for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Additionally, early life stress may amplify racial differences in blood pressure trajectories during pregnancy. This research project will use existing data from Dr. Laura Stroud’s studies to investigate whether maternal early life stress is a risk factor for a blood pressure trajectory associated with pregnancy-induced hypertension. The study also aims to determine if this risk is higher for Black women. The findings from this research will directly contribute to future studies aimed at identifying psychological, social, and environmental factors that mitigate the impact of maternal early life stress on blood pressure during pregnancy.
