5-10% of all pregnant women

Can include:

• Gestational hypertension
• Preeclampsia
• once known as Pregnancy Induced
• Hypertension (PIH) and Toxemia
• Eclampsia
• HELLP syndrome

If you had PREECLAMPSIA, you have 2x the risk of stroke, heart muscle damage, or blood clot and 4x the risk of developing high blood pressure for the rest of your life!

7-14% of all pregnancies

Mothers who had gestational diabetes are more likely to have the condition again in a future pregnancy.

If you had GESTATIONAL DIABETES, you are 50% more likely to develop Type II diabetes within 5 years, putting you at higher risk for heart disease.

11.5% of babies were born preterm in 2012.

Babies born before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy are preterm, or premature.

Women with PRETERM BIRTH AND PREECLAMPSIA have an 8-10x higher chance of death from heart disease.

• See your health care provider 3-6 months after birth to check your overall physical health. Discuss your pregnancy and any complications you experienced.

• Get a copy of your pregnancy and post-delivery medical records to share with your providers for the rest of your life. Don’t wait – records may be destroyed.

• Breastfeed as long as possible. Women whose total lifetime breastfeeding is 6-12 months were 10% less likely to develop heart disease (and it’s good for baby too).

• Get annual checkups and be screened for heart disease.

• At this visit, your provider should check your overall physical condition.

• Ask your provider what your test results mean and how you can lower your heart disease risk.

• These screening numbers show desirable results.

  • Blood pressure < 120/80 mm hg

  • Total cholesterol < 200 mg/dl

  • Fasting blood glucose < 100 mg/dl

  • Body Mass Index < 25 kg/m2

• Try a mobile app to automatically retrieve and store your medical records, so you always have them handy.

• Eat healthy! A diet low in salt, fat, cholesterol and sugar can help you lower your risk for obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

• Maintain a healthy weight. Body Mass Index (BMI) is an estimate of body fat based on height and weight. Less than 25 is healthy.

• Get active for 30 minutes a day, or as recommended by your provider.

• If you smoke, make a plan to quit. Your provider may have resources to support you.

• Take medications as directed. Sometimes a healthy diet and exercise is not enough to lower your risk for heart disease, so your provider may prescribe medications to help.