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Characterizing Early Postpartum Cardiovascular Health Among Black Women
Insights
Cardiovascular health in Black American women postpartum is moderate, with higher scores for health factors than behaviors. This study used the Life's Essential 8 metric to assess early postpartum cardiovascular health.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Women's Health
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) significantly impacts postpartum Black American women's health.
- The American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 (LE8) metric assesses cardiovascular health (CVH) through behaviors and health factors.
- Understanding early postpartum CVH in Black women is crucial for identifying risks during this sensitive period.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize early postpartum cardiovascular health (CVH) among Black women using the Life's Essential 8 (LE8) metric.
- To evaluate the LE8 metric's utility in assessing CVH variability in this population.
- To inform potential health screening strategies for at-risk individuals.
Main Methods:
- Ninety-five Black women provided data on LE8 health behaviors and completed anthropometric and blood draw measures for LE8 health factors within six months postpartum.
- Data were used to calculate LE8 component, total, behavior, and factor scores.
- Scores were categorized as "low" (0-49), "moderate" (50-79), or "high" (80-100) CVH.
Main Results:
- Mean total LE8 CVH was "moderate" (68.5 ± 14.1), with scores ranging from "low" (28.8) to "high" (93.8).
- Participants exhibited higher scores for LE8 health factors (71.6 ± 17.3) compared to health behaviors (65.4 ± 18.7).
- Sociodemographic factors did not correlate with postpartum CVH.
Conclusions:
- The LE8 metric effectively captured CVH variability in early postpartum Black women.
- Early postpartum LE8 indices can indicate current health status and guide screening efforts.
- Longitudinal studies are essential to further understand postpartum CVH trajectories.
Objective:
Cardiovascular disease contributes to the high rates of postpartum morbidity and mortality among Black American women. The American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 (LE8) metric, comprising 4 health behaviors and 4 objectively measured health factors, has been used to characterize cardiovascular health (CVH) in general adult populations and during pregnancy. Characterizing early postpartum CVH among Black women using the LE8 metric is an important step towards understanding CVH risk during a sensitive period.
Methods:
Ninety-five Black women ( MAge =28.3 years, SD =1.52) reported on LE8 health behaviors and completed anthropometric measures and a venous blood draw to measure LE8 health factors in the first 6 months following delivery. Data were used to generate the LE8 component scores, total LE8, and LE8 health behavior and factor scores, ranging from "low" (0 to 49) to "high" (80 to 100) CVH.
Results:
Mean total LE8 CVH was in the "moderate" range ( M =68.5, SD =14.1), with scores ranging from 28.8 ("low" CVH) to 93.8 ("high" CVH). The range of the total LE8 scores reflects the degree of variability between the LE8 component scores. Participants scored higher on LE8 health factors ( M= 71.6, SD =17.3) than health behaviors ( M= 65.4, SD =18.7; paired t =2.70, p =.008). Sociodemographic factors were unrelated to postpartum CVH.
Conclusions:
The LE8 metric captured variability in early postpartum CVH among a community sample of Black women. Early postpartum LE8 indices could provide a useful indicator of current health and help to inform health screening efforts to identify those at-risk, although longitudinal studies are urgently needed.
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