03/21/2025: The State of Maternity Care and Digital Health

New study results show that blood pressure monitoring during pregnancy could predict future hypertension risk in women who have otherwise uncomplicated pregnancies, potentially aiding prevention of cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association offers 5 key focus areas to improve cardiovascular care for women, and the WHO release its global maternal health update since 2015. Plus, Anish Sebastian of Babyscripts teams up with Loral Patchen of MedStar to discuss the real reasons that digital health adoption is not moving as quickly as it should. 

3/19, Technology Networks Diagnostics: Gestational Blood Pressure Patterns Predict Future Hypertension Risk

Study findings suggest that tracking blood pressure patterns during pregnancy could help identify women who, despite "normal" blood pressure during pregnancy by current standards, have heightened risk for hypertension in the 5 years following childbirth. Blood pressure patterns could help identify and plan interventions that may prevent cardiovascular disease.

3/18, Mayo Clinic: Mayo Clinic authors deem maternal health factor risk adjustment imperative for perinatal care quality ratings

Mayo Clinic authors determine that risk adjustment for age, diabetes and hypertensive disorders — prior to or during pregnancy — and obesity is achievable, and should be taken into account by The Joint Commission's perinatal care ratings for a hospital. 

3/13, AHA: Strategies for Overcoming Barriers in Access to Cardiovascular Care for Women

Highlights key barriers to equitable health care access for women and proposes potential strategies to overcome these barriers, focusing on 5 key areas: insurance-related barriers, geographic and social barriers, health care delivery capacity and workforce issues, quality and accountability measures, and global health challenges. 

3/12, Healthcare Purchasing News: Main Causes of Maternal Death Globally Are Hemorrhage and Hypertensive Disorders, Says WHO Study

New data shows that nearly a third of maternal mortality is caused by hemorrhage, and about 16% is caused by hypertensive disorders such as preeclampsia.

From Babyscripts:

3/01, Medical Design Brief: Is Digital Health Evolving Too Quickly?

Numerous studies have demonstrate that RPM for blood pressure is effective in identifying and managing HDP before it escalates into an emergency, but slow adoption or inadequately supported implementation prevents these solutions from having a real impact.