Socioeconomic status can affect cardiovascular health seven years postpartum (Photo/American Heart Association)
By Karen Stokes
According to a new study presented at the recent American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2024 in Chicago, the socioeconomic status of first-time moms in early pregnancy may affect their cardiovascular health up to seven years later. Socioeconomic status — education level, income level, health insurance status, and health literacy — of pregnant individuals was responsible for more than half of the long-term heart health disparities among Black, Hispanic, and white women.
A study of over 4,000 pregnant women explored how social factors in early pregnancy contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in maternal heart health up to seven years postpartum.
“Pregnancy can have long-term consequences on women’s cardiovascular health, and it’s an important opportunity to provide preventive care, especially for individuals with cardiovascular risk factors,” said study first author Xiaoning “Jack” Huang, Ph.D., a research assistant professor of medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. “This research adds a further dimension to what is known about what explains the significant racial disparities that exist in cardiovascular health among birthing individuals.”
Using data from a study called nuMoM2b-HHS, researchers calculated cardiovascular health scores, based on the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 metrics of ideal heart health, including eating better, be more active, quit tobacco, get healthy sleep, maintain a healthy weight, control cholesterol, manage blood sugar, and manage blood pressure.
(American Heart Association)
Based on the measures of these health metrics, each study participant was assigned a heart health score from 0 to 100. Higher scores indicate better cardiovascular health.
The analysis found white mothers had cardiovascular health scores 12.2 points higher than Black mothers and 3.3 points higher than Hispanic mothers. Socioeconomic status in early pregnancy had the largest impact. Adjusting Black women’s socioeconomic data to match white counterparts raised their scores by 6.6 points, eliminating over 50% of the disparity.
According to Huang, and his research team, the results support enhancing the accessibility and affordability of health care so that people who are more socioeconomically disadvantaged receive the preventive care they need.
“The scientific community has produced clear evidence highlighting the critical importance of social determinants of health, including economic opportunities and accessible, affordable health insurance,” Huang said. “Medicaid extension and expansion can go a long way in promoting health equity for everybody across the life course.”
By October 2024, although Wisconsin’s Medicaid postpartum protection lags behind most of the United States, 47 states and D.C. had expanded Medicaid, extending postpartum health coverage from 60 days to one year to improve access to care and address maternal health disparities for low-income families.