WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC), in media partnership with OWN Digital, LLC, launches “We Are The Faces of Black Maternal HealthTM” social media campaign which emphasizes, “Maternal Health is a critical matter for everyone.”

This campaign gives voice to those impacted and highlights ways to meaningfully improve outcomes.

Throughout February, videos featuring a unique perspective from ABC members including leading cardiologists and other medical professionals such as obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, nursing and midwifery will be unveiled each weekday. The videos will be shared on all of ABC’s social media platforms: YouTube (TheABCardio), Facebook (@ABCardio), Instagram (@ABCardio1) and Twitter (@ABCardio1). In addition, they may also be viewed in their entirety at wearethefaces.abcardio.org and via OWN web-based platforms beginning Tuesday (2/1) evening.

This campaign launches ABC’s yearlong initiative to address grave disparities regarding Black maternal health outcomes.

“Given that maternal health is intimately tied to cardiovascular health, our ABC members are unique representatives of the Black Maternal Health crisis. We are archetypes at the trifecta of being either patients, relatives of patients, physicians or all three at the stifling crossroads of the Black maternal health crisis. The time has come to eliminate maternal health disparities and poor cardiovascular outcomes,” according to ABC President, Dr. Michelle A. Albert.

Black women remain 2 to 3 times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth than White women. Maternal mortality is the tip of the iceberg as for every death there are 75 to 100 more women who suffer a life-threatening complication during pregnancy or childbirth. Risk factors such as obesity, preeclampsia and high blood pressure are on the rise in women of color of reproductive age. Moreover, the higher risks faced by Black women span income and education level and are greatly driven by psychosocial stress including racism.

“Black women deserve to have a safe and healthy pregnancy and childbirth,” said Dr. Rachel M. Bond, co-chair of the Cardiovascular Disease in Women and Children Committee of ABC. “This campaign gives voice to those impacted and highlights ways to meaningfully improve outcomes. It comes on the heels of the one year anniversary of the publication of ABC’s position paper, Working Agenda for Black Mothers, which helped to identify innovative, collaborative and community-focused solutions. One important step was to acknowledge Black women’s concerns as to help them achieve their optimal health and wellbeing throughout their lifespan, including if they choose to become a parent or not.”

The month’s activities will also include a live panel discussion hosted by OWN Digital on February 3 at 1 PM EST on https://youtube.com/oprah. Drs. Michelle Albert, Rachel M. Bond and Annette Ansong, and a patient’s perspective will be featured. More exciting activities are planned and will be announced throughout 2022.

“I am very excited to once again re-engage our community on the issue of Black Maternal Health through this much-needed national campaign,” said Dr. Annette Ansong, a Pediatric Cardiologist and co-chair of the Cardiovascular Disease in Women and Children Committee of ABC. “It gives us the opportunity to link pediatric cardiovascular health with Black Maternal Health. After all, Black mothers are first Black girls.”

To learn more about this topic throughout the month of February, you may visit:

wearethefaces.abcardio.org and https://www.oprah.com/sp/oyh-heart-health.html.

About The Association of Black Cardiologists

Through its distinct focus on the disproportionate, adverse effect of cardiovascular disease on the Black community, the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is continuously situated at the most critical junctures when addressing disparities and achieving health equity for all since 1974. Today, as an international organization, a determined pursuit of its mission and goals has afforded the ABC an extensive roster of healthcare professionals, community, corporate and institutional members who share its vision.

The ABC is part of a rich community dedicated to saving the hearts of a diverse America. Its member experts, staff, and partners bring a wide range of experience to support its vision to teach, transform and impact lives in new and unique ways. Altogether, they address the need for increased diversity and improved outcomes within various domains of scientific research, outreach programs, public health education, advocacy, professional development, and training. For more information, visit www.abcardio.org or call 800-753-9222.

 

ABC Issues Statement on Supreme Court Decision in Dobbs V. Jackson

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The following is a statement from the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) regarding the United States Supreme Court decision in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

On Friday, June 24, 2022, the US Supreme Court issued its highly anticipated decision overturning a half-century of abortion rights set in the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. This ruling effectively returns the legality of abortion and whether there is a right to abortion to each state, and consequently triggering what will be a mosaic of laws on the reproductive health of women in the US.

This decision will isolate the poor, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and minority populations specifically, widening the already large gaps in healthcare for our most vulnerable communities. It is important to underscore that this will occur against a backdrop of the highest maternal mortality rates in Black and Latino women creating additional barriers to achieving health equity.

A lot of work has been done in recent years on the intersection of women’s reproductive health and cardiovascular health, one of the leading causes of maternal mortality. For almost 50 years, the Association of Black Cardiologists has devoted significant effort to the elimination of disparities related to cardiovascular disease in all people of color and the march toward health equity. As part of these efforts, the ABC has dedicated a long-term focus on cardiovascular disease in women and the policies impacting women’s health. In particular, more recent efforts have been directed to pursuing strategies and solutions to mitigate the Black maternal mortality crisis. Unfortunately, the loss of broad protections supporting the medical and often life-saving procedure of abortions, is likely to have a real impact on the maternal mortality rate, especially in those with congenital and/or acquired cardiovascular conditions where evidence-based guidelines advise at times on termination of such high-risk pregnancies. At the ABC, we truly believe a person’s fundamental health decisions are their own to make, in consultation with their clinician and loved ones. We believe that every woman, and every person, should be afforded the right to safe, accessible, legal, timely, patient-centered, equitable, and affordable healthcare.

As a cardiovascular society dedicated to health equity, we will continue to advocate in support of policies and organizations fighting for equitable solutions to health. We call on governments at the federal, state, and local levels to be intentional in making the required investments to improve maternal health for all especially for historically underserved groups as they operate in this new legal environment.

Anekwe E. Onwuanyi, MD, President of the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) and Rachel M. Bond, MD, Co-Chair of ABC’s Cardiovascular Disease in Women and Children Committee.

About ABC 

Founded in 1974, the ABC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating the disparities related to cardiovascular disease and achieving health equity such that all people can live long healthy lives. Membership is open to all interested in the care of people with or at risk for cardiovascular disease, including health professionals, lay members of the community (Community Health Advocates), corporate and institutional members. Today, the ABC’s public and private partnerships continue to increase its impact in communities across the nation. For more information, visit www.abcardio.org and wearethefaces.abcardio.org or connect with ABC on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

This is Our Lane – Too: Joint Statement on the Maternal Health Crisis from the Association of Black Cardiologists, American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — This Mother’s Day and beyond, as cardiologists we care for the fate of all women. The death of a woman during pregnancy, at delivery, or soon after childbirth is an immeasurable tragedy for her family as well as society at large. Urgent action is needed to combat the maternal morbidity and mortality crisis in America and cardiologists have a vital role to play.

Decades of data highlight the unacceptably high rate of maternal mortality in the United States (U.S) and the disproportionate burden borne by Black women who are 2 to 3 times higher risk of maternal mortality compared to White women. In 2021, maternal mortality rates increased by almost 60%. Given that cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of maternal mortality and death in general among Black women residing in the U.S, the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) and our cardiovascular partners share the urgency to ameliorate these statistics.

Urgent action is needed to combat the maternal health crisis in America and cardiologists have a vital role to play.

The maternal crisis is influenced by multiple factors including increased maternal age, health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity as well as discrimination including bias and racism. The higher maternal mortality experienced by Black women is independent of educational attainment, income or wealth highlighting the role of structural inequities. Therefore, a multi-faceted approach that includes prevention and treatment of underlying cardiovascular risk factors along with education of stakeholders, and addressing social and structural determinants of maternal and cardiovascular risk is necessary.

As nature’s first cardiac stress test for a woman, pregnancy provides a window to future cardiovascular health. Therefore, cardiologists cannot afford to be bystanders to the maternal health of their patients especially as it pertains to women who are most affected by the maternal morbidity crisis. Adverse pregnancy outcomes such as gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia, preterm delivery, gestational diabetes, small-for-gestational-age delivery, placental abruption, and pregnancy loss increase a woman’s risk of developing cardiovascular risk factors and lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease. Poor maternal health also negatively influences the health of the offspring. For example, offspring of mothers with adverse pregnancy outcomes are at higher risk for premature cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it seems prudent that they be screened more carefully throughout their lifespan.

Recognizing that CVD is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the US with widening racial gaps, the ABC, American College of Cardiology (ACC), and American Heart Association (AHA) have all launched initiatives and published scientific statements to educate various stakeholders about the maternal health crisis, and to help improve care for all patients. The ABC also launched the “We Are the Faces of Black Maternal Health™” campaign in 2021 to tell the stories of the maternal health crisis faced by cardiologists along with their patients.

We encourage all cardiovascular specialists to double down on their efforts to reduce maternal mortality and to eliminate racial and ethnic gaps in maternal health outcomes.

Anekwe E. Onwuanyi, MD, FACC, President, Association of Black Cardiologists; B. Hadley Wilson, MD, FACC, President, American College of Cardiology; Michelle A. Albert, MD, MPH, FACC, FAHA, President, American Heart Association