Most people who give birth in the United States have poor pre-pregnancy heart health

According to a new study published today, only about 40% of U.S. women who gave birth in 2019 have good heart health before pregnancy, and overweight is a major cause of poor pre-pregnancy health. Yes, followed by high blood pressure and diabetes.American Heart Association peer-reviewed flagship journal spotlight issue in red for females circulation..

Special feature circulation Includes about 12 articles investigating various cardiovascular considerations during pregnancy.

Poor heart health Endanger both future mothers and their children Heart disease According to the American Heart Association, it causes more than a quarter (26.5%) of pregnancy-related deaths. Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2022 Update..

“many woman Just start regular medical visits after they become pregnant. If the woman is already overweight or obese High blood pressure Or pre-pregnancy diabetes, which is often not diagnosed until pregnancy. However, if identified before pregnancy, their medical clinician can help manage and optimize these conditions before pregnancy. ” ” health Before pregnancy, it helps the long-term health of women and their children. Poor maternal heart health is associated with poor baby outcomes at birth. For example, early pregnancy or low weight. It is also related to the poor heart health of these children. This relationship between maternal heart health and offspring heart health is surprising to many, even in the first few years of pregnancy. “

In an analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Natality Database 2016-2019, Cameron et al. Identified the pre-pregnancy cardiac health risk factors of 14,174,625 female births. The age of the female was 20-44 years. 81.4% were between the ages of 20 and 34. 52.7% were non-Hispanic Caucasians. 22.7% were Hispanic / Latino. And 14% were non-Hispanic blacks. Optimal heart health was defined as a normal body weight with a body mass index (BMI) of 18-24.9 kg.m.²Not high blood pressure or diabetes.

Researchers have found the following:

• The overall proportion of women experiencing optimal pre-pregnancy heart health decreased by more than 3% over the three years, from 43.5% in 2016 to 40.2% in 2019.
• In 2019, the proportion of females with good heart health ranged from 37.1% of females aged 40-44 to 42.2% of females aged 30-34.
• More than one in two women had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease before pregnancy. These risk factors include overweight, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
• Overweight and obesity were the most common reasons for poor pre-pregnancy heart health.

Researchers also compared the data by geographic region, and despite the nationwide decline in good heart health, there were geographical differences. Good heart health was lower in the Southern (38.1%) and Midwest (38.8%) states compared to the Western (42.2%) and Northeast (43.6%) states. It also varies from state to state, with less than one-third (31.2%) of Mississippi women having good pre-pregnancy heart health, while Utah performed best. It was almost half (47.2%) of.

Researchers have found that these geographical differences are social health, such as educational status, Medicaid registration, access to preventive care, the ability to buy healthy food, and the characteristics of the area in which the woman lived. He points out that it seems to be mainly influenced by the determinants.

“Unfortunately, these geographical patterns are very similar to those seen for heart disease and stroke in both men and women, and social determinants of health also play an important role in maternal heart health. “It shows that we are doing,” said senior research author Sadiya, S. Khan, MD, MS, FAHA, Assistant Professor of Cardiology at the Fineberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago. “In addition to optimizing the health of those interested in pregnancy, almost half of pregnancies are unplanned, so it is important to focus on optimizing cardiovascular health throughout young adulthood. We need to emphasize heart health throughout our lives. “

“Pregnancy is a natural stress test. There are many changes in the pregnant body, especially the heart, such as increased blood circulation that puts extra strain on a woman’s heart. Try to keep it. We guarantee you will get the best pregnancy results. ” American Heart Association scientific statement on cardiovascular considerations in the care of pregnant patients, Garima V. Sharma, MBBS, Director of Cardiac Obstetrics, Associate Professor of Johns Hopkins Medical College in Baltimore. I was not involved in this study. “As part of your pre-pregnancy plan, talk to your doctor about risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol, and manage these conditions before you become pregnant. A balanced diet and a healthy diet. Maintain a good weight and do not smoke. Or it is also important to use tobacco products. “

Sharma, an assistant professor of cardiology and medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said that the higher the health of a woman before, during, and after pregnancy, the better the health results for both mother and baby. I am saying. Baltimore medicine.

As much as medical professionals and individuals can do to tackle heart health, researchers hope that these findings can bring about more significant changes in public health policy and social levels.

“We need to shift conversations from’what women can do’to what society can do to help mothers and pregnant individuals,” Khan said. “We need federal and state-level public health policies to ensure equitable access to pre-, middle- and post-care. pregnancyAnd financial investment in the community to support healthy behavior such as green space for exercise and access to the heart-healthy food Choices. “

“Future research aims to identify the early social and economic factors behind these state-level differences,” Cameron said. “This knowledge also helps to coordinate and equitably improve public health interventions. heart Health of women and their children across generations in the United States “

Co-author is Priya M. Freaney, MD. Michael C. Wang, BA; Amanda M. Perak, MD, MS, FAHA; Brigid M. Dolan, MD, M. Ed. Dr. Matthew J. O’Brien, MD; Dr. S. Dariu Standon; Matthew M. Davis, MD; William A. Grobman, MD, MBA; Norrina B. Allen, Ph.D. Philip Greenland, MD, FAHA; and Donald M. Lloyd Jones, MD, Sc.M., FAHA.