Taking Care of You: Your Post-Pregnancy Health

As a practicing nurse in maternal child medicine, I have the privilege of seeing new moms overjoyed at the birth of their children. The pregnancy is finished, and in its place a bond forms between mother and child, bringing with it the possibilities of new moments, adventures and surprises. But for some, the conditions they experienced during pregnancy may have untold implications on their health down the road.

This had us wondering if women understand the long-term health effects associated with these conditions.

For National Women's Health Week and Preeclampsia Awareness Month, we set out to better understand how women perceive two common conditions that can occur during pregnancy: preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. What did we find? Seventy-five percent of women polled know gestational diabetes can lead to type 2 diabetes in the future, while 16 percent thought it was a pregnancy-only disorder. When asked about their knowledge of preeclampsia, nearly 60 percent said their doctors explained the condition to them. While we are encouraged by these answers, the reality is that gestational diabetes increases a woman's risk of getting diabetes, and preeclampsia increases cardiovascular risk. Where do we go from here?