New campaign highlights urgent need to address preeclampsia, pregnancy-related conditions

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among new mothers. The American Heart Association, a global force for longer, healthier lives, raises awareness among soon-to-be moms and new moms about the importance of monitoring and controlling their blood pressure.

The "My Health is Our Health" campaign, sponsored locally by Lee Health, encourages mothers to talk to their doctors to prioritize their heart health. This campaign aims to improve awareness of the connection between cardiovascular disease and pregnancy, both during pregnancy and in the critical weeks and months after giving birth, through multi-prong marketing and communications messaging.

Through the campaign, the Association provides "New Mom" kits to local Lee Health OB clinics for mothers in high-risk populations. Each kit contains a blood pressure monitor and multi-lingual health information to ensure that women know how to monitor their blood pressure, recognize a hypertensive crisis and how to react.

Additionally, the Association is working with the Maternal Health Workgroup, a local maternal task force focused on identifying high-risk criteria for hypertension. The groups are implementing a Self-Monitoring Blood Pressure (SMBP) program. Through the program, best practices in postpartum care, outreach and tracking systems are provided.

"Cardiovascular disease accounts for more than 1 in 3 pregnancy-related deaths in the U. S., an alarming statistic showing that it is imperative for new moms to check their blood pressure regularly," said Dr. Malissa Wood, vice president and chief physician executive at the Lee Health Heart Institute.

"Lee Health is proud to sponsor the American Heart Association's My Health is Our Health campaign to provide the resources and tools women in our community need to monitor their blood pressure and increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy and beyond."

In Southwest Florida, recent statistics have highlighted the urgent need to focus on the health of mothers and babies. In 2024, an alarming 70% of all post-partum hospital readmissions were related to hypertension, as reported by Women's Health at Health Park Medical Center. This issue is further compounded by the fact that hundreds of pregnant women in Lee County suffer from hypertension, either pre-pregnancy or gestational.

The rural community in Glades County is disproportionately impacted by a 9.2% pre-pregnancy hypertension rate, underscoring the need for targeted health care interventions in this area.

Many people may not realize that pregnancy-related health complications, including preeclampsia, can occur days, weeks, or even months after giving birth, with symptoms sometimes occurring suddenly and without warning. Jessaca Rodriguez, executive director of the American Heart Association, Southwest Florida, knows firsthand how quickly symptoms can arise after she was treated for postpartum preeclampsia in 2023.

"Throughout my pregnancy and immediately after, my blood pressure was perfect," said Rodriguez. "It was 11 days after delivery, on my birthday of all days, that I experienced a severe headache that would not go away. Thankfully, because I work for the American Heart Association and knew the symptoms of preeclampsia, I took my blood pressure. I was shocked when it read 200/122 mmHg! We immediately called 9-1-1 so I could receive care. I realized that knowing the symptoms of preeclampsia and calling 9-1-1 may have saved my life."

"I often wonder how many other women ignore or try to sleep away the symptoms, simply because they weren't aware. That's what 'My Health is Our Health' is seeking to change. Because losing even one woman to preeclampsia is too many," said Rodriguez.

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of new mothers. Women with one or more risk factors are encouraged to measure their blood pressure at home frequently and inform their health care provider if their levels are often above 120/80 mmHg, which the Association says corresponds to elevated or high blood pressure if the blood pressure reaches 130/80 and above.

Maintaining a lifestyle that supports healthy blood pressure, such as getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, eating heart-healthy foods, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking, can go a long way toward reducing the risk of women developing cardiovascular diseases.

Provided by American Heart Association