Preconception to pOst-partum study of cardiometabolic health in Primigravid PregnancY: POPPY

Women who experience placental complications during pregnancy, such as pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure and kidney problems), gestational hypertension (high blood pressure during pregnancy) and fetal growth restriction (baby being small) are at a two-fold higher risk of developing heart disease and diabetes later in life compared to women who do not. We do not know whether such complications cause heart disease and diabetes directly, or whether these complication happen in women who already have poorer health before pregnancy. We will assess risk factors for heart disease and diabetes in women actively trying to conceive before and during pregnancy, and 9-12 months after delivery to see whether placental complications make a difference to their heart health. This will allow us to understand, if, and how, placental complications increase risk of heart disease and diabetes, and, therefore, how best to reduce this risk and potentially prevent placental complications in the future.