Gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are often considered temporary conditions affecting mothers. Increasingly, however, they are recognized as early warning signs of long-term cardiometabolic risk. While most research has focused on what these complications mean for women, new findings suggest their implications extend beyond mothers.
A large population-based study from The Institute, led by , senior scientist in the , shows that when gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension or preeclampsia occur across two pregnancies, fathers face progressively higher risks of developing diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and stroke. The more affected pregnancies, the greater the risk — with diabetes risk rising by more than 80% when complications occur three times.
A clear dose-response pattern
The study analyzed nearly 500,000 Quebec families using linked provincial health administrative databases. A clear dose-response pattern emerged. Compared with fathers whose partners had no such complications across two pregnancies, a single occurrence was associated with more than a 20% increase in diabetes risk, two occurrences increased risk by about 40%, and three occurrences increased risk by more than 80%. Similar graded associations were observed for hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
“These pregnancy complications appear to function as early warning signals for fathers,” said Dr Dasgupta. “They offer a window of opportunity for prevention years before chronic disease develops.”
The findings build on earlier research from the team showing that gestational diabetes and gestational hypertension are linked to higher cardiometabolic risk in fathers. This study strengthens that evidence by demonstrating that risk increases stepwise with the number of affected pregnancies.
Couples often share environments, behaviours and socioeconomic circumstances. Eating patterns and physical activity levels tend to cluster within households, contributing to shared long-term risk trajectories.
Implications and next steps
Diabetes and hypertension are major drivers of heart disease and stroke. Identifying elevated risk earlier in adulthood creates opportunities for prevention.
While pregnancy complications already signal future cardiometabolic risk in mothers, these findings suggest fathers should also be considered in preventive strategies. Couples who work collaboratively to improve nutrition and increase physical activity may reduce their own long-term risks, as well as those of their children.
The research team is now testing that approach directly. In a randomized controlled trial funded by Diabetes Canada, they are examining whether counselling couples to work together can improve adherence to prescribed weekly step counts among couples in which one or both partners has type 2 diabetes. The goal is to determine whether partnership-based prevention can translate shared risk into shared health gains.
About the study
Supported by the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada, the study was conducted at the 鶹ýվ site of the Quebec Statistical Institute (CADRISQ) and published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
The study, “Associations of pregnancy complications with paternal cardiovascular risk: a retrospective cohort study,” by Mussa J, Wen L, Sharafi M, Gouin JP, Rahme E and Dasgupta K, was published online December 17, 2025 in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health ().