'Today' show host, Sarah Abo, has stepped away from Australia's Nine Network breakfast program earlier than planned after developing high blood pressure during her pregnancy. At 39 years old, she is expecting her first child with husband Cyrus Moran, and revealed she's been in and out of hospital since the complication emerged, sharing two photos from her hospital bed on Instagram. "Copped a bit of a curveball last week with high blood pressure and have been in and out of hospital since," she wrote, adding that she and her baby are both doing well.
She had hoped to return to Today for an on-air farewell before formally beginning her leave, but doctors have advised her to rest, meaning viewers won't see her back behind the desk before she welcomes her baby. Stand-in hosts Sylvia Jeffreys and Charles Croucher broke the news to viewers, with Croucher explaining, "We were looking forward to saying goodbye to her, but doctors' orders mean that that's not possible right now," while Jeffreys reassured fans Abo was reading their messages of support.
The Complications That Arose During Her Pregnancy Journey
Abo announced her pregnancy live on Today in March, growing emotional as she told viewers, "I'm going to try and fail to maintain my composure. But yes, Cyrus and I are expecting a little baby." She spoke candidly at the time about the difficulty of the journey to get there, saying: "It hasn't been the easiest journey to get here... It's not as easy as you sometimes think that pregnancy will be. So, it has been a bit of a bumpy ride, but here we are."
She also used the moment to speak more broadly about fertility struggles, saying she hoped raising awareness would help other families feel less alone, and that there needed to be "a bit more awareness, education and less stigma" around the topic. Her colleagues' visible care in handling the announcement, prioritizing her well-being over an on-air goodbye, reflects an awareness of that sensitivity.
The Details Behind The Reporter's Pregnancy Complications
According to The Royal Women's Hospital, high blood pressure in pregnancy can range from a mild, one-off issue to a sign of a more serious underlying condition requiring close monitoring.
- High blood pressure during pregnancy can develop because of the pregnancy itself, or a person may already have it beforehand; it may occur after 20 weeks and be a one-off event, or be part of a more complex condition like preeclampsia.
- Preeclampsia is one of the more common complications of pregnancy, affecting about one in ten pregnancies, and can occur any time in the second half of pregnancy or the first few days after birth.
- Signs of preeclampsia include high blood pressure, protein in the urine, sudden excessive swelling of the face, hands, or feet, and blurred vision — though it's also possible to have no symptoms at all.
- Preeclampsia can worsen very quickly, which is why women with the condition are monitored closely, and severe cases may require hospital monitoring or an early delivery.
- More broadly, hypertensive disorders affect an estimated 5% to 10% of pregnancies in the U.S., a figure that has climbed roughly 25% over the past two decades, and untreated high blood pressure can raise the risk of stroke for the mother and preterm delivery or low birth weight for the baby.
- Treatment generally includes rest, close monitoring of both mother and baby, and medication when needed, which is the same approach Abo's care team appears to be taking.
Caring for the Baby By Caring for the Mother
The 'Today' host's situation is a notable reminder that pregnancy complications can arise suddenly, even late in an otherwise progressing pregnancy, and that they're taken seriously by medical professionals for good reason. Since high blood pressure often has no symptoms, it's checked at every antenatal appointment, underscoring why regular prenatal checkups matter regardless of how a pregnancy seems to be going.
Her case also highlights why maternity leave needs to be flexible enough to accommodate genuine medical unpredictability. Abo's leave began on her doctors' orders rather than her own planned timeline, illustrating that maternity leave shouldn't be treated as a fixed calendar date but as a protection that adapts to what a pregnancy actually requires.
For expectant parents and employers alike, her story is a reminder that even with excellent care and public visibility, pregnancy remains inherently unpredictable, and prioritizing rest and medical guidance over work commitments is not just reasonable, but necessary, when complications arise.
