Hello friends, family, and colleagues,
I am walking in the 2024 American Heart Association Heart Walk on Saturday, September 21st to raise awareness of the cardiovascular issues that affect maternal and fetal health.
My team is the Center for Maternal and Fetal Health and my fundraising goal is $250.
Every day, my colleagues and I work with patients affected by cardiovascular diseases like preeclampsia, gestational & chronic hypertension, stroke and other cardiovascular issues. I see how these issues impact both our patients and their families. Our department recognized this need and recently created dedicated Obstetrics Cardiology clinic days where patients can consult with both a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist AND a Cardiologist to address their complex needs pre-conception, during pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. There is a growing need for this kind of focus on maternal cardiovascular health.
A recent AHA report highlighted that:
- Cardiovascular disease accounts for more than 1 in 4 pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S., and rates of pregnancy-related complications have been climbing.
- Nearly 1 in 5 pregnancies are complicated by high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, premature births or low birthweights.
- High blood pressure disorders such as preeclampsia and eclampsia have nearly doubled over the past decade
- These types of adverse pregnancy outcomes have been shown to raise the risk for cardiovascular disease later in life for both mother and child.
The American Heart Association has programs aimed at addressing these issues. And in its work with women throught their lifespan, the AHA is emphasizing that it is not just up to the individual. Rather, there is an urgent need for policy-level changes to dismantle structural racism and other adverse social factors that create barriers to better maternal health.
Please support me as I walk in support of these programs and these families.
Donations of every size are appreciated!
Thank you so very much,
Sara
