Previously we demonstrated that adult blood pressure was increased in offspring of rabbit mothers with renal hypertension. We identified sex-specific differences in the programming of hypertension, with female not male offspring having increased blood pressure at 30 weeks of age. This study aimed to characterise maternal hypertension during pregnancy to determine potential programming stimuli. Further, we examined the impact of maternal hypertension on offspring birth weight, nephron number and renal noradrenaline content (an index of renal innervation density). Three groups of mothers and their offspring were studied; two-kidney, one-wrap (2K-1W, n=9 mothers), two-kidney, two-wrap (2K-2W, n=8) hypertensive, and a sham group (n=9). MAP was increased by ~20 mmHg throughout pregnancy in both hypertensive groups as compared to sham (P_G<0.001). PRA (P_G<0.05) and aldosterone (P_G<0.05) levels were increased during gestation in the 2K-1W, but not 2K-2W mothers. Birth weight was increased ~20% in offspring of both groups of hypertensive mothers (P_T<0.001), though this was associated with a reduction in litter size. Renal noradrenaline content was increased (~40%, P<0.05) at 5 weeks of age in female 2K-1W as compared to sham offspring. Glomerular number was not reduced in offspring of hypertensive mothers, however glomerular volume was reduced in female 2K-2W offspring (P<0.05), indicative of a reduction in glomerular filtration surface area. In conclusion, the two models of renal hypertension produced differential effects on the offspring. The impact of a stimulated maternal renin-angiotensin system in the 2K-1W model may influence development of the renal sympathetic nerves and contribute to programming of adult hypertension.