ACOG Identifies CVD as Leading Cause of Pregnacy-related Mortality
Holding a medical degree from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Tara Neubert Kumaraswami now serves as an assistant professor at the school and the residency program director for obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Massachusetts Memorial hospital. Additionally, Tara Neubert Kumaraswami is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG).
In May 2019, ACOG issued a new guidance document highlighting heart disease as the number one cause of pregnancy and postpartum mortality rates. Several factors can influence the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) during/after pregnancy, such as age and obesity, but ACOG lists race as the number one factor correlated to CVD. They found that black women are more than three times as likely to die as a result of pregnancy-related CVD. They attributed the increased mortality rates in black women to the disparate health care they receive overall prior to pregnancy, where risk factors for CVD would normally be identified.
As a whole, ACOG urges greater focus on identifying CVD risk factors for women prior to pregnancy, especially in black women. Such practices will better equip them to make informed care decisions throughout a pregnancy and develop the right delivery plan to ensure the health of both the mother and child. The new guidance (Practice Bulletin 212) can be read in its entirety in the May edition of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
In May 2019, ACOG issued a new guidance document highlighting heart disease as the number one cause of pregnancy and postpartum mortality rates. Several factors can influence the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) during/after pregnancy, such as age and obesity, but ACOG lists race as the number one factor correlated to CVD. They found that black women are more than three times as likely to die as a result of pregnancy-related CVD. They attributed the increased mortality rates in black women to the disparate health care they receive overall prior to pregnancy, where risk factors for CVD would normally be identified.
As a whole, ACOG urges greater focus on identifying CVD risk factors for women prior to pregnancy, especially in black women. Such practices will better equip them to make informed care decisions throughout a pregnancy and develop the right delivery plan to ensure the health of both the mother and child. The new guidance (Practice Bulletin 212) can be read in its entirety in the May edition of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
