May 20, 2026
High blood pressure disorders during pregnancy, including preeclampsia, can raise a lot of questions and anxiety for expectant parents. In this episode of The MotherToBaby Podcast, host Chris Stallman, genetic counselor, mom of four, and teratogen information specialist, sits down with maternal-fetal medicine specialist and member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) Dr. Karen Florio to discuss what pregnant women should know about hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and the role low dose aspirin can play in reducing certain risks.
Dr. Florio shares both her professional expertise caring for high-risk pregnancies and her personal experience navigating a high-risk pregnancy herself. Together, Chris and Dr. Florio break down the warning signs of preeclampsia, when to contact a healthcare provider, and why low dose aspirin may be recommended in some pregnancies, even though regular aspirin is typically avoided during pregnancy.
The conversation also explores how common hypertensive disorders are, what patients can do to advocate for themselves, and reassuring, evidence-based guidance for anyone currently pregnant and feeling worried about blood pressure concerns.
In this episode, we discuss:
• What “high blood pressure in pregnancy” and hypertensive
disorders actually mean
• Signs and symptoms of preeclampsia to watch for
• Why low dose aspirin may be recommended during pregnancy
• Who may benefit from low dose aspirin therapy
• When to reach out to a healthcare provider
• How patients can feel informed and empowered during pregnancy
About Our Guest:
Dr. Karen Florio is a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at the
University of Missouri and currently serves as Vice Chair of
Patient Safety and Quality for the Department of Obstetrics and
Gynecology, as well as Director of Labor and Delivery. Her work
focuses on hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and heart disease in
pregnancy, and she has held leadership roles with Missouri’s
Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review Board and the Missouri
Perinatal Quality Collaborative.
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https://mothertobaby.org/
Listen to more episodes of The MotherToBaby Podcast:
https://mothertobaby.org/podcast/