If you're a new mom, your own heart health may be the furthest thing from your mind, but if you're a preeclampsia survivor, it's something you and your physician should discuss. Why? Because research has shown that preeclampsia, along with a few other pregnancy complications such as fetal growth restriction and preterm birth, may predict your future heart disease.
Studies have found the following associations between pregnancy complications and cardiovascular disease:
This and other pregnancy and heart health information can be found on Seconds Count, the patient information website of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI). Experts there suggest 6 questions you should ask your healthcare provider about pregnancy complications and heart disease:
Sadly, a study by Rana, et al (2011) found that a substantial proportion of internists and OB-GYN physicians at a major hospital in Boston were unaware of any health risk associated with a history of preeclampsia. The authors concluded that this deficiency may affect the clinical care they provide. That means that as the patient, you may need to print out this information and take it to your physician so they know why your pregnancy history matters.
It's unlikely you will need stents or bypass surgery, but a good number of preeclampsia survivors report difficulty getting their blood pressure to return to normal and may need, even temporary, medications to normalize their BP.
John P. Reilly, M.D., FSCAI, editor-in-chief of SecondsCount.org and Vice-Chairman of the Department of Cardiology at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans said, “We are committed to informing our patients and other healthcare providers about the link between preeclampsia and future heart disease, and the importance of managing cardiovascular risk factors in preeclampsia survivors.”
However, without solid evidence for what post-preeclampsia follow up care should include, what should you do? Experts in the field have helped us develop these common sense guidelines to reduce your risk of heart disease: