Women with pre-pregnancy high blood pressure face breastfeeding challenges, Ohio University study suggests

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Women who have high blood pressure before becoming pregnant are less likely to breastfeed for at least three months and more likely to stop earlier than women without the condition, suggests a new study from Ohio University.

The research, published in the journal Breastfeeding Medicine, analyzed data from more than 127,000 women across the United States collected between 2016 and 2022 through a federal monitoring system. The study focused specifically on how high blood pressure diagnosed before pregnancy affects breastfeeding practices.

About 66% of women with pre-pregnancy hypertension breastfed for at least three months, compared to nearly 72% of women without the condition, researchers said. Overall, about 71% of women in the study breastfed for at least three months.

The connection held even after researchers accounted for other factors that can affect breastfeeding. Women with pre-pregnancy high blood pressure were still less likely to breastfeed for three months or longer and more likely to stop earlier than women without high blood pressure, researchers said.

The study excluded women who developed high blood pressure during pregnancy to isolate the effect of pre-existing hypertension.

While previous studies have shown a connection between high blood pressure during pregnancy and breastfeeding, this research is among the first to focus on high blood pressure that existed before conception.

“Our findings suggest that health conditions that exist before pregnancy can have a real impact on breastfeeding success,” said Zelalem T. Haile, associate professor of epidemiology at Ohio University and a co-author of the study. “This highlights the importance of identifying and managing high blood pressure before pregnancy, not only to improve pregnancy outcomes but also to support breastfeeding.”

The research team noted that breastfeeding provides important health benefits for both infants and mothers, including improved immune protection for babies and reduced risk of certain chronic diseases for mothers.

Researchers say the results support the need for stronger preconception care, which focuses on improving health before pregnancy begins. By identifying and treating high blood pressure early, health care providers may be able to help more women breastfeed longer and improve health outcomes for mothers and babies.

The study was led by researchers from the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and included co-authors Nourhan Mohamed, Sravya Walker, and Ifa Abduljelil, all graduates of the Heritage College, as well as Dorcas Mgadla, who recently earned a Master of Global Health degree from Ohio University’s College of Health Sciences and Professions.