[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 17, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E993-E994]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      PREECLAMPSIA AWARENESS MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LOIS CAPPS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 17, 2014

  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, last month we recognized May as Preeclampsia 
Awareness Month.
   A life-threatening disorder that can occur during pregnancy or the 
postpartum period, preeclampsia is one of the leading causes of 
maternal mortality and morbidity, affecting hundreds of women and 
babies each day.
   Preeclampsia is a rapid rise in blood pressure that can lead to 
seizure, stroke, organ failure or death.
   And while all pregnant women are at risk, all too often the symptoms 
are dismissed as typical pregnancy complaints.
   One way to save the baby from preeclampsia complications is through 
delivery, which is oftentimes conducted prior to a pregnancy being full 
term in the context of an emergency situation. Pre-term birth can lead 
to significant and costly health challenges for a baby.
   Moreover, there is a strong relationship between preeclampsia and 
future cardiovascular disease.
   Women who develop preeclampsia during pregnancy are four times more 
likely to develop hypertension later in life and are twice as likely to 
develop heart disease, stroke, and blood clots.
   In this way, preeclampsia during pregnancy can have ramifications 
throughout a woman's adult life.
   That is why awareness building, as well as research and prevention, 
are so important. I urge my colleague to work together to ensure that 
by next May we have done all we can to support these important efforts.

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