Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women, and Michigan Medicine researchers say pregnancy may be a critical turning point in that risk. In a Q&A, Ashley Hesson, M.D., Ph.D., of the U-M Health Cardio-Obstetrics Program explains how complications like preeclampsia can signal higher lifetime heart disease risk, and how new clinical trials are testing whether early postpartum treatments can change that trajectory. The work aims to shift pregnancy from a brief chapter of care to a long-term strategy for protecting women’s heart health.
