Addressing maternal cardiovascular risk: The impact of lactation, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and racial disparities.

ABSTRACT: Pregnancy functions as a cardiopulmonary stress test, revealing underlying cardiovascular disease (CVD) or heightening future CVD risk following adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs). Studies consistently demonstrate strong associations between APOs, higher mortality rates, and increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases in women from racial and ethnic underrepresented groups (UREG). Social determinants of health, particularly in UREGs, contribute to increasing allostatic load, potentially driving poorer pregnancy outcomes. Breastfeeding has a protective effect on allostatic load and is linked to improved maternal cardiometabolic health. In the United States, UREGs have lower rates of breastfeeding initiation, retention, and duration-potentially influenced by both cultural factors and systemic

SUBMITTER: Rodriguez M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12617786 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature