The goal of this study is to evaluate changes in blood pressure and early cardiovascular risk markers and to determine whether a postpartum education intervention can improve cardiovascular risk monitoring among pregnant women in their third trimester through six months postpartum in Accra, Ghana. The study includes women aged 18 years and older with and without pregnancy-related cardiometabolic complications. Findings from this study will inform the development of scalable postpartum screening and intervention strategies to reduce long-term cardiovascular disease risk among women.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
200
The PP-CVD Risk Reduction Program is a structured cardiovascular disease risk-reduction program that includes home blood pressure monitoring and weekly postpartum education sessions on heart health after pregnancy, nutrition, physical activity, stress management, sleep, weight management, medication adherence, and long-term cardiovascular health for postpartum women.
The Enhanced Postpartum Care intervention is a structured postpartum support program that includes home blood pressure monitoring and scheduled maternal-infant health check-ins, providing education on postpartum recovery, infant care, mental health, nutrition, infection prevention, and family planning to support maternal health during the postpartum period.
School of Public Health
Accra, Ghana
RECRUITINGChange in Carotid-Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV)
Change in arterial stiffness measured as carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), expressed in meters per second (m/s), assessed using the Vicorder® system, defined as the difference in PWV measured during baseline, 3 months after birth, and 6 months after birth.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months after birth, and 6 months after birth
Change in Systolic Blood Pressure
Change in systolic blood pressure, expressed in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), measured using validated automated home blood pressure monitors. Participants will self-measure systolic blood pressure at baseline (third trimester of pregnancy), 3 months, and 6 months postpartum, with change defined as the difference in systolic blood pressure across these time points to characterize postpartum blood pressure trajectories and compare intervention groups.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months after birth, and 6 months after birth
Change in Diastolic Blood Pressure
Change in diastolic blood pressure, expressed in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), measured using validated automated home blood pressure monitors. Participants will self-measure diastolic blood pressure at baseline (third trimester of pregnancy), 3 months, and 6 months postpartum, with change defined as the difference in diastolic blood pressure across these time points to characterize postpartum blood pressure trajectories and compare intervention groups.
Time frame: 3 months after birth, and 6 months after birth
Change in cardiometabolic and vascular biomarkers
Cardiometabolic, inflammatory, and vascular biomarkers (e.g., soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 \[sFlt-1\]) will be measured from fasting blood samples.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months after birth, and 6 months after birth
Systolic Blood Pressure
Systolic blood pressure, expressed in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), is measured using validated automated home blood pressure monitors.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months after birth, and 6 months after birth
Diastolic Blood Pressure
Diastolic blood pressure, expressed in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), is measured using validated automated home blood pressure monitors.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 months after birth, and 6 months after birth
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