UCSF Researcher Receives Prestigious Award for Study on Postpartum Cardiovascular Care Disparities
Dr. Megan McLaughlin's award-winning research reveals significant gaps in postpartum cardiovascular care for women with pregnancy-related hypertension, highlighting critical opportunities to improve long-term heart health in high-risk populations.
Dr. Megan McLaughlin, an assistant professor of medicine at University of California, San Francisco, has been selected to receive the 2025 Dr. Nanette K. Wenger Research Goes Red Award at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025. The award recognizes the best research article focused on cardiovascular disease and stroke in women published in the Association's scientific journals during the previous year.
Dr. McLaughlin's award-winning research, published in the Association's journal Hypertension on April 2, 2025, examined disparities in postpartum care for individuals with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Her study analyzed nationally representative data from over 47,000 postpartum individuals and found that while most patients attended postpartum visits, attendance varied significantly by race, ethnicity, insurance status and socioeconomic factors. More critically, many patients reported not receiving essential counseling or screening for cardiovascular risk factors during these visits.
The research highlights that hypertensive disorders of pregnancy represent a major risk factor for future cardiovascular disease, making proper postpartum care crucial for long-term heart health. The study identified missed opportunities for providing lifestyle guidance, smoking cessation support, and diabetes testing to this high-risk population. These findings come at a time when cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death among women in the United States.
Dr. Stacey E. Rosen, the American Heart Association's 2025-2026 volunteer president, emphasized the importance of McLaughlin's work, stating that it provides meaningful information that can help improve postpartum care and help more women live longer, healthier lives. The research underscores the need for greater focus on women's health, particularly during pregnancy and postpartum periods when cardiovascular risk factors can be identified and managed.
The Dr. Nanette K. Wenger Research Goes Red Award is named in honor of Dr. Nanette K. Wenger, whose pioneering career in women's cardiovascular disease medicine has shaped the field. The award selection process involved evaluation by 25 expert peer reviewers who assessed submissions for scientific impact, innovation, methodology, and quality of evidence. Dr. McLaughlin's manuscript was selected from 123 submissions from 17 different countries published between June 1, 2024, and May 29, 2025.
Dr. McLaughlin, who has advanced training in echocardiography and focuses on heart disease prevention and women's cardiovascular health, expressed honor at receiving the recognition. Her research contributes to the American Heart Association's Research Goes Red initiative, which aims to empower women to contribute to health research and address gender disparities in cardiovascular care. The findings have significant implications for clinical practice, suggesting that standardized postpartum care protocols and targeted interventions could substantially improve cardiovascular outcomes for women with pregnancy complications.