Having had a stroke caused by blocked blood vessels (ischemic stroke) more than doubled an expectant mother’s odds of having another stroke during pregnancy and within six weeks of childbirth, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2026. The meeting is in New Orleans, Feb. 4-6, 2026, and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health.
A common question for women is whether to risk pregnancy after a previous ischemic stroke. Our analysis found that women are at a greater risk of recurrent ischemic stroke during pregnancy and in the six weeks after giving birth, and the increased risk is not influenced by other risk factors. Now, women and their health care…