PE-NET (Pre-eclampsia New Emerging Team)

CIHR and Heart & Stroke Foundation funded work submitted for publication identifies that women who develop pre-eclampsia have a greater likelihood of having, or developing, cardiovascular risk factors. Pregnancy is essentially a stress test such that the development of certain pregnancy complications (pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction, placental abruption) identifies women who have a greater risk for future cardiovascular disease.

Our work suggests that screening for cardiovascular risks should be undertaken in the first year after delivery. Based on Ontario delivery data, over 20% of all women develop one or more of these complications. Furthermore, women with one of these complications have a significantly greater 10-year, 30-year and lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease.

I have started a Maternal Health Clinic where women with any one of these pregnancy complications will be seen six months after delivery for cardiovascular risk screening. This clinic is being run to provide both a health service and to facilitate research in this important area. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact us.