During the months of pregnancy leading up to delivery, taking care of your body is critical to ensuring you have a healthy delivery and a healthy baby. Taking care of your body includes taking care of your heart. Heart disease is the number one cause of maternal deaths in the U.S.
Together with the American Heart Association, Rochester Regional Health is empowering women to take control of their heart health by highlighting risk factors unique to women and how they can take preventative measures to stay healthy. This conversation is part of the Red Chair Series – a series of conversations with leaders in healthcare highlighting heart disease prevention with a focus on many areas, including women’s health, rural health, preventive care, genetics, and maternal & infant mortality.
As the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart health for all, AHA strives to help everyone take on health challenges through a series of key initiatives aimed at reducing health disparities. Elizabeth Bostock, MD, Executive Medical Director of OBGYN and Women’s Health with Rochester Regional Health, explains how common heart conditions can affect pregnancy, shares risk factors for pregnant women, and how to lower the risk of heart concerns during pregnancy.
Common heart conditions affecting maternal health
During a typical nine-month pregnancy, a woman’s body changes significantly while preparing to give birth to a baby. Gaining weight and changing hormone levels can contribute to the body’s changes.
“Pregnancy and childbirth are a lot like training for an ultramarathon, and then performing an ultramarathon,” Dr. Bostock said. “You couldn’t perform an ultramarathon without preparing your body altogether. Part of what happens in the change in your body is preparation for this big event – and then the big event. That puts a lot of strain on the heart.”
Due to that strain on the heart, some women may develop health conditions that affect heart health. These may include:
- preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy)
- gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)
- stroke
Risk factors and promoting heart health during pregnancy
Like many health conditions, some people face a higher risk of developing health conditions during pregnancy than others. This is due to a combination of genetics, environmental factors, and lifestyle factors.
Some risk factors for heart health concerns during pregnancy include:
- age (women over age 35 face increased risks)
- high blood pressure
- obesity
- race (Black women are three times more likely to die of heart-related pregnancy complications than white women)
There are some changes that women can make that can help to lessen the risk of developing heart issues during pregnancy.
Eating healthy: Keep it simple – eat more plants, less meat, and drink plenty of water. During your visits with your healthcare provider, see if there are types of food that will boost health for you and your baby.
Consistent physical activity: Sometimes the last thing you may feel like doing is being physically active. But moving and helping your heart stay active is good for both your health and the health of your baby. Even if it’s a short walk or a YouTube exercise video, stay active for as long as you can.
Regular medical visits: Meeting and talking with a healthcare provider on a consistent basis throughout your pregnancy is vital for staying healthy. This relationship will help ensure that you and your baby are on the right track for a healthy pregnancy and birth.
“Having good awareness and communication around that process of pregnancy and childbirth and also being in direct communication with healthcare providers about how to optimize everything you’re doing is critical during this time,” Dr. Bostock said.
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Mary E Bostock, MD
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