Community Health Worker Coaching to Reduce Cardiovascular Risk Among Women After a Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy

Overview

The goal of this clinical trial is to find out whether an enhanced program works better than remote blood pressure monitoring (RBPM) alone for women who had high blood pressure during pregnancy. The enhanced program combines RBPM with a lifestyle program led by a community health worker (CHW). The study will examine whether the enhanced program helps women better control their blood pressure, lowers their average resting blood pressure, improves heart health risk factors (such as weight, diet, physical activity), supports mental well-being, and reduces emergency department visits and hospital readmissions by 6 months after delivery.

The investigators will enroll 240 eligible pregnant women between 28 weeks gestation until the delivery. All participants will have a current or past history of high blood pressure during pregnancy, chronic high blood pressure, and a single-baby pregnancy. RBPM alone program: Participants in this group will receive an automatic blood pressure (BP) cuff and wear the cuff for 6 weeks after childbirth. Participants will be asked to measure their BP every day during the first 2 weeks after delivery and 3-5 times per week during weeks 3-6. BP readings will be sent automatically to the electronic medical record. A clinical decision support system will identify missing readings or possible care needs. A nurse will send reminders, contact participants to discuss symptoms or medications, and refer them to their primary care providers when needed. At 7 weeks after delivery, BP monitoring and text messages will stop, and BP cuffs will be collected. After the initial 6 weeks after delivery, participants in the RBPM-only group will receive weekly messages with publicly available information about heart disease risk after high blood pressure in pregnancy, healthy lifestyle tips from professional organizations, and guidance on infant development. Enhanced Care program During the first 6 weeks after delivery, participants in the enhanced care group will receive the same RBPM program described above. Starting at 7 weeks after delivery, women whose BP was normal during the first 6 weeks will stop BP monitoring. Women whose BP remains high (above 130/80 mmHg) or who are still taking BP medications will continue monitoring their BP three times per week until 6 months after delivery. Nurses will continue to provide reminders and support. In addition, participants in the enhanced care group will receive 10-week health coaching led by a community health worker (CHW). This will include 10 weekly coaching calls by CHW. The coaching will focus on heart-healthy lifestyle behaviors that help lower BP and improve heart health. These include healthy weight loss goals (1-3 pounds per week), better nutrition, gradually increasing physical activity, stress management, and quitting tobacco use. Participants will be reminded to watch the weekly videos (\~30 min long). The CHW will screen for social needs (such as food, housing, or transportation) and connect participants to available community services. Participants will receive a personalized weight-tracking graph.