Cardiovascular risk factors rising among pregnant women in the US: What to know

Cardiovascular-related health risks — such as obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes — increased among pregnant women between 2001 and 2019, according to a study published Oct. 6 in Circulation. 

Researchers from Somerville, Mass.-based Mass General Brigham reviewed EHR data from 56,000 pregnancies between 2001 and 2019 for the study.

Here are three things to know:

1. About 15% of pregnancies were affected by heart attack, stroke, heart failure, blood clots, hypertensive disorders or maternal death.
   
   
2. Here is how incidence of cardiovascular health risk factors increased among all 56,000 pregnancies between 2001 and 2019:
   
   • Obesity increased from 2% to 16%
   • High blood pressure increased from 3% to 12%
   • High cholesterol increased from 3% to 10%
   • Diabetes increased from 1% to 3%
     
     
3. “Most of these health risk factors can be prevented through lifestyle changes or medication. Yet, many of my patients aren’t even aware they have these conditions or that they’re at risk,” Stacey Rosen, MD, senior vice president of women’s health and executive director of the Katz Institute for Women’s Health at New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health, and president of the American Heart Association, said in the release. 

Read the full study here.