Spectrum News 1: Heart Health Risks Spike During Pregnancy, Postpartum

Spectrum News 1 recently interviewed Janet Wei, MD, associate medical director of the Biomedical Imaging Research Institute and co-director of the Stress Echocardiography Lab in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai, about an increased risk of heart disease among women in their thirties during and after pregnancy.

A recent study found that heart attack risk among pregnant or postpartum women 35 to 39 was five times greater than that of women in their twenties.

Wei, who was not involved with the study, told Spectrum News 1 reporter Genevieve Glass that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. for pregnant women and new mothers.

“Pregnancy is actually considered our first natural stress test in life for women, because during pregnancy, our heart is challenged,” she told Glass. “It’s got to work harder to provide blood flow for not just the mother, but also the baby.”

Wei, an associate professor of Cardiology, told Glass that higher rates of obesity in California and the U.S. have led to an elevated risk of heart disease among pregnant or postpartum women in their late thirties. Obesity is associated with elevated blood sugar and inflammation, said Wei, who also is the Erika J. Glazer Chair in Women’s Cardiovascular Research, Education and Innovation at Cedars-Sinai.

“[Obesity] also contributes to the morbidity and mortality related to cardiovascular disease,” she added.

Wei told Glass that routine checkups are important to help evaluate heart disease risk. She added that women who experience shortness of breath, swelling in the legs, or chest discomfort should seek emergency medical care.

Click here to watch the complete segment from Spectrum News 1.