New research has highlighted the potentially damaging effect that high blood pressure during pregnancy may eventually have on the child's IQ.
The study, which was part funded by the British Heart Foundation, saw researchers examine the medical records of 398 women who gave birth to a son between the years of 1934 and 1944.
As part of the analysis, these grown up children were then assessed for maths reasoning and English language skills along with visual and spatial awareness.
These thinking ability tests took place when the test subjects were aged 20 and then again at an average age of 69.
What researchers found was that the individuals who had mothers with high blood pressure while pregnant, scored lower in the tests at the age of 69, in comparison with those from mothers that showed no signs of high blood pressure during pregnancy.
Commenting on the research, the charity's associate medical director professor Jeremy Pearson said the findings 'further emphasises the importance of early recognition and treatment of raised blood pressure in pregnancy.'
The findings come just over a week after US academics identified a link between snoring during pregnancy and high blood pressure.