You may think of preeclampsia as high blood pressure that occurs during or immediately after pregnancy. That’s simply not the case. Preeclampsia can occur up to six weeks postpartum.
And that’s not all: Research is finding that preeclampsia appears to be a significant warning sign for heart disease after pregnancy. In fact, the American Heart Association’s guidelines on cardiovascular disease in women consider preeclampsia as strong a risk factor for heart disease as a failed stress test—a test commonly used to identify existing heart disease.
Recognizing this important risk factor is vital to women’s heart health because heart disease is the leading cause of death in women in the United States.
Medical researchers do not yet know exactly how or why preeclampsia and future heart disease are linked, but they do know:
If you have ever had preeclampsia, it is vital your primary care doctor is aware of your heart disease risk factor. Your health care professional can help you determine next steps for your heart health.
In the meantime, take good care of your ticker by following these 5 steps to a heart-
healthy diet.
Beth Battaglino, RN
President & CEO, HealthyWomen
Beth Battaglino, RN, brings a unique combination of sharp business expertise and, as a practicing registered nurse, medical knowledge to her role as President and CEO of HealthyWomen, a non-profit organization providing women with in-depth, objective, medically-approved information on a broad range of women's health issues. Beth has worked in the healthcare industry for nearly 20 years, helping to define and drive public education programs on a broad range of women's health issues.
Your story is needed to improve outcomes for moms like you. Add your voice to critical preeclampsia research to ensure that every story is heard.
Frequently asked questions about the Preeclampsia Registry, a patient-driven registry and biobank.
The Preeclampsia Foundation offers research funding, study recruitment, and other patient engagement services to researchers.
We provide research grant funding to advance progress towards detection, prevention, or treatment of preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
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The authors of this paper note that an increasing number of people are being readmitted to the hospital within six weeks of discharge home after delivery and that many of these persons had a hypertens...