Lower Austria study shows:

Too little information for sick pregnant women

The study reports on a significant gap in the provision of information to women at increased risk of cardiovascular and kidney disease.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

Health advice and monitoring is very important for many pregnant women, but is apparently neglected in many cases. The study by a university in Krems shows that two thirds of the women surveyed received inadequate information. 

There is a gap in the care of pregnant women who have an increased risk of cardiovascular or kidney disease. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by Karl Landsteiner Private University in Krems.

More than two thirds of the 161 women surveyed who suffered from high blood pressure-related (hypertensive) pregnancy illnesses or diabetes during their pregnancy had not received sufficient information about the risks of cardiovascular disease. This makes it all the more necessary to optimize the advice and care services provided by healthcare professionals, the authors of the study emphasize.

The results show that less than a third of all women with pregnancy-related illnesses received appropriate advice.

Dr. Birgit Pfaller-Eiwegger, Oberärztin am Universitätsklinikum St. Pölten

Only 14 percent at follow-up
The survey also revealed that only half of women with high-risk pregnancies were advised to adjust their lifestyle - even though this could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. "As a result, only 14 percent of the women affected had a follow-up examination," explains Dr. Birgit Pfaller-Eiwegger, senior physician at St. Pölten University Hospital and researcher at Karl Landsteiner University.

According to the study, over 85 percent of women who had pregnancy-related illnesses with a risk of cardiovascular disease later in life had no long-term follow-up. Many even failed to attend appointments with their GP. Less than 40 percent of women with high-risk pregnancies had a check-up within the first few months after giving birth.

The facts

High blood pressure affects around five to ten percent of all pregnancies. This results in a higher risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and heart attack or stroke later in life.

Around ten to 15 percent of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes. Specific nutritional advice is usually offered in this case, and some women require insulin during pregnancy. Most of them no longer have diabetes after giving birth. However, the risk of developing gestational diabetes again in the next pregnancy is high.

Make staff more aware
The authors of the study come to the conclusion that more education and better follow-up care after pregnancy-related illnesses are necessary. Based on the results, they also recommend improved training for all healthcare professionals to make them more aware of the long-term risks of pregnancy-related illnesses. "The integration of structured counseling plans into healthcare practice could thus make a significant contribution to the prevention and improvement of healthcare for women at increased risk of cardiovascular and kidney disease," they say.

(Bild: parilov, stock.adobe.com)

Focus on women's health
Study leader Dr. Pfaller-Eiwegger started setting up an outpatient clinic for women with an increased risk of cardiovascular and kidney disease after pregnancy as part of KL Krems' state-funded research impetus in 2020 at St. Pölten University Hospital. The PreCareFem outpatient clinic aims to identify risk factors after pregnancy complications and thus prevent cardiovascular diseases.

The body does an enormous amount during pregnancy. For example, carrying a child to term can be a stress factor for the heart. After the occurrence of pregnancy complications - such as high blood pressure during pregnancy, gestational diabetes, premature birth before the 37th week of pregnancy, premature placental abruption or growth retardation - the postnatal period is therefore important for identifying risk factors and preventing cardiovascular disease. Regular check-ups can help to identify these at an early stage and ultimately prevent them.