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How Poor Heart Health Can Affect Your Pregnancy

Only about 40 percent of women who gave birth in the United States in 2019 had good heart health before the pregnancy, according to research published today in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association (AHA).

The major factors in low pre-pregnancy health noted by researchers included excess weight, hypertension, and diabetes.

Age also played a role. About 42 percent of women from 30 to 34 had good heart health versus 37 percent of women ages 40 to 44.

Geographically, good heart health was lower in the South and Midwest compared with the West and Northeast.

“Many women only begin having regular healthcare visits once they become pregnant,” Dr. Natalie A. Cameron, a lead study author and an internal medicine specialist and instructor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, said in a statementTrusted Source.

“If women already have… obesity, high blood pressure, or diabetes prior to pregnancy, it is often not diagnosed until pregnancy. However, if identified prior to pregnancy, their healthcare clinician can help them manage and optimize these conditions before pregnancy,” said Cameron.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading causeTrusted Source of pregnancy-related death in the United States.

Heart health affects mother and baby

Dr. Nicole Weinberg, cardiologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, told Healthline that being pregnant increases stress on the body over a long period of time.

“If there’s something slightly amiss, it’s amplified when you’re pregnant. High blood pressure and other problems before pregnancy become exacerbated with pregnancy,” said Weinberg.

The result is a larger and more substantial risk for cardiovascular disease, she said.

“And those are babies that may grow up with a variety of other problems,” said Weinberg.

Dr. Kecia Gaither is double board certified in OB-GYN and maternal fetal medicine, as well as director of perinatal services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx.

“There is an increase in heart rate, vascular volume, and cardiac output with a decrease in vascular resistance. If cardiovascular health is less than optimal, these changes can preclude to cardiac dysfunction,” Gaither told Healthline.

Depending on the underlying cardiovascular issue, the consequences for both mother and baby can be disastrous, she said.

“There may be the need for fetal surveillance frequently for growth and well-being. If the mother has a congenital cardiac defect, there is a risk that the fetus may have the same cardiac issue. Fetal sonographic cardiac evaluation, known as a fetal echocardiogram, may need to be evaluated by a pediatric cardiologist,” said Gaither.

Achieving heart health before pregnancy

The things that are good for your heart are good for your pregnancy, said Weinberg.

“Eating healthy, getting a good night’s sleep, and exercising — it doesn’t have to be crazy or intensive — all these help the heart. They also help you get pregnant and have a good, healthy pregnancy,” she said.

Regular health checkups can help catch problems early.

If you’re planning on getting pregnant and have a condition such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, or a history of preeclampsia or maternal congenital cardiac malformation, Gaither recommends seeing a doctor for an assessment.

“Preconception evaluation of a woman with risk factors which may exacerbate cardiac malfunction may be offered,” she said. “Such as weight loss advice, dietary consultation with a nutritionist, addition or change in medications, etc., so that pregnancy can begin in the best cardiac shape possible.”

Improving heart health during pregnancy

In the United States, there are about 700Trusted Source pregnancy-related deaths each year, almost two-thirds of which could be prevented, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“I think a healthy diet and exercise are invaluable for people headed in the wrong direction,” said Weinberg.

She noted that despite your best efforts, you can still have cardiovascular issues.

“Sometimes medication therapy is needed, and it shouldn’t be considered a weakness. It’s really just about keeping you and your baby healthy through this first stress test of life,” said Weinberg.

Good heart health is important well beyond pregnancy.

A 2019 studyTrusted Source concluded that better cardiovascular health in early pregnancy is associated with better cardiovascular health 10 years after pregnancy.

“Having something like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, or hypertension in pregnancy or heart failure associated with birth puts you at risk later in life,” said Weinberg.

“See a cardiologist. Be aware. Identify the risks and be as aggressive as possible in getting those risk factors modified,” she said.

Source: Healthline