Updated · University of Alabama at Birmingham · May 29
U.S. Study Finds Pregnant Women 51% Less Likely to Reach Ideal Heart Health
Updated
Updated · University of Alabama at Birmingham · May 29
U.S. Study Finds Pregnant Women 51% Less Likely to Reach Ideal Heart Health
2 articles · Updated · University of Alabama at Birmingham · May 29
Data from 2011-2020 showed U.S. pregnant women had poorer overall cardiovascular health than non-pregnant women ages 20 to 44, and were 51% less likely to meet ideal heart-health standards.
The Nature study used the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 score and found the biggest gaps came from lower physical activity, less favorable cholesterol and higher body mass index during pregnancy.
Researchers said the difference was not explained only by normal pregnancy-related body changes, pointing instead to modifiable factors such as exercise, diet and routine risk monitoring.
The analysis covered about 1.6 million pregnant women and 34.5 million non-pregnant women, and authors said the gap may be widening over time.
The findings support adding cardiovascular risk assessment to routine prenatal care and developing pregnancy-specific scoring thresholds for measures such as BMI and blood sugar.
Why is the heart health of pregnant Americans declining, and what does it signal for the next generation's health?
Is our health scoring system failing pregnant women by misinterpreting normal bodily changes as a sign of poor health?
With 'food is medicine' now covered by insurance, can produce prescriptions reverse poor heart health in expecting mothers?
Maternal Heart Health Crisis: Rising Cardiovascular Deaths, Widening Disparities, and the Urgent Need for Systemic Reform in the U.S.
Overview
Maternal heart health in the United States is facing a serious decline, with cardiovascular disease now the leading cause of death among pregnant women. Recent data from 2011 to 2020 show that cardiovascular health among pregnant women aged 20-44 has significantly worsened, as measured by the Life's Essential 8 score, which dropped from 71.0 to 66.4. Pregnant women consistently have poorer heart health than non-pregnant women, with lower scores in physical activity, blood lipids, and BMI. Alarmingly, they are also 51% less likely to achieve ideal cardiovascular health, highlighting an urgent need for better care and prevention.