25 Nov 2025 • A dual-cohort study underscored that a history of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) in a first pregnancy sharply escalated maternal and neonatal risks in the subsequent delivery.

Key Findings:

• Women with previous SMM faced 49%–88% higher rates of composite perinatal death or severe neonatal morbidity in their second pregnancy (aRR 1.49–1.88).
• Risks for stillbirth, neonatal death, and infant death rose 1.59-fold, 1.65-fold, and 1.69-fold, respectively.
• Severe neonatal morbidity nearly doubled (aRR 1.95).
• Maternal complications surged, with SMM recurrence 4.77-fold higher, preeclampsia 6.20-fold higher, and placental abruption, major hemorrhage, and infection nearly doubled in subsequent births.

Intensified surveillance, early intervention strategies, and planned delivery support could significantly improve maternal and neonatal outcomes in this high-risk group.

Source: Science Direct | Read Full Story