One in eight people in the United States have high blood pressure or hypertension during their pregnancies. What does that mean for their health moving forward? Our guests joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about blood pressure and cardiovascular concerns during and after pregnancy. Dr. Kara Hoppe is an associate professor in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Megan Knutson-Sinaise is a research coordinator and health coach.

They discussed how common blood pressure issues are during pregnancy, important signs and symptoms to be aware of, and what people should know about their lifelong cardiovascular health after high blood pressure during pregnancy.

Resources:

Treating chronic hypertension in early pregnancy benefits parents, babies – National Institutes of Health

Life’s Essential Eight - American Heart Association

Staying Healthy After Childbirth – UW Department of Ob-Gyn

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The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists calls the 12 weeks after giving birth the Fourth Trimester. In this series, the Women’s Healthcast will air episodes about physical recovery, postpartum mental health, birth control after pregnancy, and more.

Dr. Ryan McDonald joined the Women’s Healthcast to talk about postpartum depression and anxiety. Dr. McDonald is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn. He talked about postpartum mental health signs and symptoms, a variety of treatment and support options, and important resources for parents and families navigating postpartum depression or anxiety.

RESOURCES:

• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – dial 988 at any time or visit https://988lifeline.org/
• National Maternal Mental Health Hotline – dial 1-833-943-5746 or visit https://mchb.hrsa.gov/national-maternal-mental-health-hotline
• ACOG Perinatal Mental Health Toolkit: https://www.acog.org/programs/perinatal-mental-health
• Healthy Brain and Child Development Study - https://hbcdstudy.org

Have a suggestion for a future episode? Let us know what health issues you'd like to learn about here! https://forms.gle/XaoArBtnxfHxA4Up7

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists calls the 12 weeks after giving birth the Fourth Trimester. On the Women’s Healthcast, we’re airing a Fourth Trimester series, with episodes about physical recovery after birth, postpartum mental health, breastfeeding, and more.

Dr. Katie Sampene joined this episode to talk about pregnancy prevention in the fourth trimester. Dr. Sampene as an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the UW Department of Ob-Gyn. She discussed recommendations for spacing pregnancies, why people may want to consider a birth control method so quickly after giving birth, how different methods affect breast or chest feeding, and more.

RESOURCES:

Postpartum Family Planning Worksheets - UW Department of Ob-Gyn / UnityPoint Health-Meriter Hospital

Have a suggestion for a future episode? Let us know what health issues you'd like to learn about here! https://forms.gle/XaoArBtnxfHxA4Up7