Cardiovascular disease has emerged as the leading cause of maternal death for pregnant women in the United States.
Health experts are urging women to prioritize their heart health before and during pregnancy to prevent potentially fatal complications.
Dr. Nicole Saint Clair, Executive Medical Director of Regence BlueShield, explained that while many expectant mothers focus on a number of different factors before and during pregnancy like diet and fetal development, the health of the mother’s heart is often overlooked.
Pregnancy increases the workload on the heart and blood vessels, which can exacerbate underlying conditions or lead to new medical issues.
Dr. Saint Clair noted that this risk extends specifically to expectant mothers.
“Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death for women in America. It’s also the number one cause of maternal death for pregnant women,” Dr. Saint Clair said.
According to the doctor who looked over the most recent available statistics, approximately 700 women die annually from pregnancy-related complications. Dr. Saint Clair stated that a large majority of those deaths are caused by cardiovascular disease.
These complications can often be the result of long-term conditions that impact the cardiovascular system over time. Conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes can take a toll on the heart even at younger ages.
The doctor says some medical professionals are seeing a trend where more women are entering pregnancy with high blood pressure, or other heart related concerns. The doctor noted that this increase is translating into a higher frequency of medical complications during and after childbirth. To manage these risks, women are encouraged to track their heart health numbers before, during and after pregnancy. Health experts recommend getting screened for cholesterol and diabetes when planning to have a child.
Dr. Saint Clair also emphasized the importance of discussing family history with health care providers to identify potential risk factors that may not be immediately apparent. She noted that different ethnic groups experience varying rates of heart-related complications during pregnancy.
“I think pregnancy is a really exciting time for many women’s lives and as we go into it we want to try to think about being the healthiest as we can be,” she said. She added that recognizing personal and family risk factors is a key step in that process.