Erin Welsh is joined by Dr. Jennifer Haythe, director of the Adult Pulmonary Hypertension Center and Cardio-Obstetrics programs at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia, to discuss the prevalence of high-risk pregnancies due to heart disease and the multi-disciplinary efforts required for optimal patient care. 

Many women in the US are having children at a later age than in the past, and with that comes an increased occurrence of certain conditions that create risk for heart disease during, or after, pregnancy. In fact, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the US, with pulmonary hypertension and peripartum cardiomyopathy posing significantly high risks. Dr. Haythe discusses how coordinated, multi-disciplinary care is crucial in treating these vulnerable patients, and how the cardio-obstetrics program at Columbia is approaching care to allow women, many of whom have been told they could never give birth, achieve safe and successful pregnancies. Dr. Haythe also talks about the latest cutting edge research for cardiac conditions in pregnancy and her program’s involvement in the ReBIRTH study, a national, multi-center, randomized placebo controlled trial examining the use of bromocriptine as a course of treatment for pregnant patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy - a study that could potentially introduce a new paradigm in high-risk pregnancy care. 

Chapters:

[00:00 - 5:49] Columbia’s Multidisciplinary Cardio-Obstetrics Program

Dr. Haythe and Erin discuss how the multidisciplinary cardio-obstetrics program at Columbia and the growing population of pregnant patients with heart disease.

[05:49 - 10:28 ] Navigating Cardiovascular Complications 

Dr. Haythe and Erin talk about the risks of pulmonary hypertension and other cardiovascular complications in pregnant patients, including during the post-partum period, and also highlights new research that may help change the course of treatment. 

[10:28 - 14:08] A Rewarding Patient Story

Dr. Haythe tells a story of a pregnant patient with pulmonary hypertension who delivered successfully, demonstrating how the program effectively managed her care. 

[14:08 - 17:12 ] Vision For the Future

Dr. Haythe shares her experience as part of the New York City Maternal Mortality Review Board, a committee formed to review maternal deaths and determine how to minimize the risk of recurrence going forward. 

[17:12 - 18:04] Credits

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Dr. Haythe specializes in pulmonary hypertension, cardio-obstetrics, heart failure, HFPEF, and cardiovascular disease in women.

For more information visit 

nyp.org/Advances