Event

Bridging the Gaps in Maternal Heart Health during pregnancy

Heart health during pregnancy

The George Institute for Global Health India invites you to a webinar to discuss the findings of the scoping review on cardiovascular diseases in pregnancy and solutions to move forward and overcome implementation barriers. This webinar will be attended by the members of the 'Taskforce on Women and Non-Communicabe Diseases (NCD), members and key stakeholders from international NGOs, development partners, patients’ groups, international professional bodies, civil society, and the Ministry of Health representatives.

Date: Thursday, February 8, 2024

Time:18.30- 20.30 (IST), 13.00-15.00 (GMT), 08.00-10.00 (EST) 

Cardiovascular complications, including those in women who enter pregnancy with existing heart disease and/or hypertension, and women who develop new cardiovascular complications during or after pregnancy, are responsible for a large number of maternal deaths around the world. Detection of people at risk of CVD before, during, and after pregnancy is essential, along with multidisciplinary care during pregnancy and after delivery from obstetric and cardiology care providers.  However, how to translate this into practice is less clear.  

Given this understanding, on behalf of the Taskforce on Women and NCDs, The George Institute for Global Health, India undertook a scoping review funded by the American Heart Association (AHA), USA. The scoping review intended to map and collate the existing policies and guidelines that address the issue of cardiovascular diseases in pregnant women with a focus on Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC). The study showed that there were no policies available on cardiovascular diseases in pregnancy and only 17 guidelines were found published from 2011 on CVD in pregnancy exclusively from international societies, and the Ministry of Health and professional organizations of Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC).  

Objectives 

  • To disseminate findings of scoping review on guidelines/policies on CVD in pregnancy with key stakeholders of Women and NCD Taskforce 

  • To deliberate on guidelines and policies, which may relate to CVD in pregnancy, identify gaps in the policy ecosystem, and discuss solutions for addressing such gaps.  

  • Identify barriers in the implementation of the guidelines and prescribed/mandated processes such as drug prescription practices, screening, and risk assessment. 

Speakers

Dr Abhishek Kunwar, National Professional Officer – Non-Communicable Diseases World Health Organization Country Office for India 

Prof Dr Liesl Zuhlke, Director, Children’s Heart Disease Research World Heart Federation, Switzerland 

Marcela Del Aguila Salgado, Director of Health and Wellbeing, Pro Mujer, Mexico 

Uma Vasudevan, Research Assistant, The George Institute for Global Health, India 

Host/Moderator

Dr Mychelle Farmer, Chief Medical Officer, Advancing Synergy, The USA