Preeclampsia Awareness Month

Floor Speech

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Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of May as Preeclampsia Awareness Month.

Despite great strides in maternity care over the years, there is an immediate need for further research into preeclampsia as well as related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy--eclampsia and HELLP syndrome.

While at least 5-8% of pregnant women suffer from these conditions each year, 60% of preventable pregnancy-related deaths are the result of preeclampsia alone.

These diseases occur only during pregnancy and the immediate post-partum period, affecting the health, and sometimes the lives, of the mother and baby.

And those women who develop preeclampsia during pregnancy can feel the effects years later; these women are four times more likely to develop hypertension later in life, and are twice as likely to develop heart disease, stroke, and blood clots.

The only known cure for preeclampsia is delivery, which is often conducted prior to a pregnancy being full term in the context of an emergency situation.

This is not ideal for the woman or her baby.

As a nurse and longtime public health advocate, I know that robust funding for maternal and child health research and education is one of the most important investments we can make.

I strongly encourage Congress to prioritize continued research on preeclampsia and related diseases.

Let's protect women and children from this progressive and often misdiagnosed disorder.

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