Advancing Postpartum Systems of Care Initiative
Pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. have risen 140% over the last three decades and cardiovascular disease is the leading cause1. Heart disease during pregnancy leaves women with a higher lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease after delivery and leads to an increased risk for their children. More specifically, high blood pressure during pregnancy, preeclampsia and gestational diabetes are associated with significantly greater risks of later heart disease and death from cardiovascular disease2. Despite existing medical guidance on pregnancy and cardiovascular health, current trends in health outcomes suggest a significant opportunity for an improved system of care, particularly in the postpartum period.
The American Heart Association (AHA) launched a comprehensive initiative, Advancing Maternal Health Through Quality Improvement and Professional Education Initiative, in July 2022 with funding support from Merck for Mothers, Merck’s global maternal health effort to help create a world where no woman has to die while giving birth.
Initiative objectives include:
- Improve postpartum systems of care related to cardiovascular health
- Expand professional education and training opportunities
- Uncover barriers and models for guideline-based postpartum care implementation
- Narrow silos in postpartum care and strengthen community-clinical linkages
- Disseminate recommendations to improve postpartum systems of care
Supporting Guidelines and AHA Statements
- Opportunities in the Postpartum Period to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Risk After Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes - Professional Heart Daily(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)
- Heart disease risk factors in women highlight need for increased awareness, prevention | American Heart Association(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)
- Optimizing the Approach to Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Long-Term Cardiovascular Risk: Missed Opportunities and Future Directions - Professional Heart Daily(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)
- Pregnancy and Maternal Health Resources and Tools | Go Red for Women(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)
- Call to Action: Maternal Health and Saving Mothers: A Policy Statement From the American Heart Association(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)
- The Role of Cardiovascular Health in Maternal Health
Sources:
[1] Lewey J, et al. Opportunities in the Postpartum Period to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Risk After Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2024;149:e330–e346. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001212
[2] Vaidya, D., Gonzalez, J. M., Anderson, C. A., Judd, S. E., Rexrode, K. M., Hlatky, M. A., Gunderson, E. P., & Stuart, J. J. (2021, March 29). Six Pregnancy Complications are Among Red Flags for Heart Disease Later in Life. American Heart Association. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/six-pregnancy-complications-are-among-red-flags-for-heart-disease-later-in-life?preview=6d1b&preview_mode=True
Podcasts
Postpartum Recommendations