Understanding Pregnancy-Related Cardiovascular Disease Risk Communication and Management Among Women Veterans

Background: Women veterans who experience certain conditions during pregnancy, such as gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and gestational diabetes, are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life. Many women are unaware of this risk. Furthermore, women often face financial, socioeconomic, or physical challenges when trying to make healthy behavior modifications to reduce CVD risk. Objective: To examine Veterans’ pregnancy-related cardiovascular (CV) risk conditions, risk identification, and risk communication with primary care providers. Research Design: Telephone/video interviews were conducted with female Veterans who had experienced at least one sex-specific CV risk condition during pregnancy. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using content analysis techniques. Major themes and representative quotes were derived. Results: Twenty-eight women Veterans participated in the study, conducted between October and December 2023. A majority of participants were racial/ethnic minorities, and the average age was 38. Four themes arose: (1) Veterans Affairs (VA) medical records may contain limited information regarding CV risk factors experienced during pregnancy; (2) strong relationships between Veterans and their VA primary care providers can facilitate management of CV risk factors following pregnancy; (3) some Veterans receive vague and/or conflicting recommendations for CV risk reduction following pregnancy; and (4) social determinants of health may play a key role in Veterans’ ability to follow recommended CV risk reduction behaviors. Conclusions: Women Veterans with pregnancy-related CV risk conditions may not know that they are at increased risk of developing future CVD conditions, often because VA providers receive limited records from outside providers. Those who are aware often receive conflicting or vague recommendations to address these risk factors. When trying to follow CV health recommendations, many women have difficulty due to lack of finances, childcare, or safe areas. Future interventions should be aimed at improving access to medical records between outside and VA providers, patient education, and access to heart-healthy resources.