Intrauterine exposure to preeclampsia and adolescent blood pressure, body size, and age at menarche in female offspring

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether female offspring of preeclamptic pregnancies have higher blood pressure, lower height, higher body mass index (BMI), and later age at menarche compared with offspring of normotensive pregnancies. METHODS: Questionnaire information on age at menarche and measurements of blood pressure, height, and weight were collected among 4096 Norwegian girls 13-19 years old. Individual linkage to perinatal data registered at the national Medical Birth Registry allowed us to study the relationship of preeclampsia in the mother with adolescent blood pressure, body size, and age at menarche of daughters. RESULTS: Maternal preeclampsia was associated in the female offspring with higher systolic (2.9 mm Hg difference, P