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Pregnancy Complications Can Put Your Heart In Jeopardy

 A woman’s health during her pregnancy can indicate future risk of heart disease and stroke, even if it was long time back. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking are the major heart disease risk factors. But there’s another major risk factor for heart disease in women: preeclampsia and gestational diabetes during pregnancy. These are pregnancy complications, symptoms of which tend to disappear shortly after pregnancy. But they can take their toll on your health later in life.

According to research, if you’ve experienced gestational hypertension (high blood pressure in pregnancy, happens in about 3 in 50 pregnancies), preeclampsia (a serious pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure) or eclampsia, gestational diabetes (diabetes diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy), or premature delivery, you are at a higher risk for heart disease.

The exact link between pregnancy complications and their affect on the heart isn’t clear, but those complications along with the overall physical burden of pregnancy may change how one’s ticker, blood vessels, or metabolism works, raising heart risks in the future.

Here’s how you can keep your heart in great shape post delivery:

Consult with your doctor- It is a good idea to discuss with your doctor about any pregnancy complications you had and their impact on the health of your ticker. Work out a plan to keep your heart in tip top shape for the longest possible time.

Undergo medical tests at regular intervals- If you had experienced high blood pressure during those nine months, or have it, get it and your cholesterol checked every year. It is equally important to get your blood sugar tested regularly if you had gestational diabetes, which puts you at a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Adopt healthy lifestyle measures- It should start with you quitting smoking (if you smoke), followed by eating a heart-healthy diet comprising more fiber-filled plant-based foods and reduced intake of sodium, processed foods, and sugar, and getting regular exercise. These changes will help you maintain a healthy weight — critical for a strong heart.

Heart screenings are important- You must get yourself evaluated for heart disease within a year postpartum if you had issues such as gestational diabetes or preeclampsia. Your doctor may as well suggest blood pressure or cholesterol medications to help further protect your ticker.

Get CPR certified by registering for a CPR class at an AHA certified CPR training site such as CPR Tampa in Palm Harbor. AHA certified CPR instructors impart training in this lifesaving procedure through a series of audio and video lectures and hands-on practice. To sign up for a class, contact CPR Tampa in Palm Harbor at 727-240-9404.

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation that comprises chest compressions and rescue breaths, and proper application of the procedure can keep someone alive who can’t breathe on their own (a drowning victim) or whose heart has stopped pumping (a sudden cardiac arrest). The sooner CPR is administered, the better. Properly administering the technique can stabilize the condition of the victim until the arrival of emergency medical services. 

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