The study found that women who monitored and managed their blood pressure at home - guided remotely by a doctor - had larger brain white matter volumes nine months after giving birth than those who received standard postnatal care.
The research - part of the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre-supported POP HT (Physician Optimized Postpartum Hypertension Treatment) trial – was published in JAMA Neurology.
White matter is critical for communication between different parts of the brain, and lower volumes have been linked to cognitive decline and conditions such as dementia.
High blood pressure conditions in pregnancy, such as gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, are known to increase a woman's longer-term risk of stroke, dementia and other neurological problems. Earlier research has shown that women with a history of these conditions often have smaller brain volumes long after pregnancy.
But this latest research suggests that improving blood pressure control in the period immediately after birth could make a difference.
Participants in the study either had gestational hypertension or preeclampsia and required blood pressure medication on being discharged from hospital. Half were asked to monitor their blood pressure at home, with remote clinical support, while the rest received the usual postnatal care.
Read the full story on the Radcliffe Department of Medicine website.