UCSF Researcher Wins Prestigious Award for Study on Postpartum Cardiovascular Care Disparities

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 earned the honor for her article "Disparities in Postpartum Care After a Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy in the United States," published in the Association's journal Hypertension on April 2, 2025. Her research examined nationally representative data from over 47,000 postpartum individuals with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, which represent a major risk factor for future cardiovascular disease. The study revealed that while most patients attended a postpartum visit, attendance varied significantly by race, ethnicity, insurance status and socioeconomic factors.

More critically, the research identified substantial gaps in essential cardiovascular risk screening and counseling during postpartum visits. Many patients reported not receiving lifestyle guidance, smoking cessation support, or diabetes testing despite their elevated cardiovascular risk. These findings confirm missed opportunities to improve long-term heart health in a high-risk population and highlight systemic disparities in healthcare delivery.

Stacey E. Rosen, the American Heart Association's 2025-2026 volunteer president, emphasized the importance of Dr. McLaughlin's work. "Dr. McLaughlin's research on cardiovascular disease in women, particularly among high-risk populations, underscores the critical role of early education and targeted intervention in preventing long-term heart disease," said Rosen. "This study provides important, meaningful and impactful information that can help us to improve postpartum care and help more women live longer, healthier lives."

The award selection process involved evaluation by 25 expert peer reviewers who assessed submissions for scientific impact, innovation, methodology, and quality of data. Dr. McLaughlin's manuscript was selected from 123 submissions from 17 different countries published in the Association's scientific journals between June 1, 2024, and May 29, 2025.

The Dr. Nanette K. Wenger Research Goes Red Award honors the pioneering career of Dr. Nanette K. Wenger, an emeritus professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and founding consultant to the Emory Women's Heart Center. The award is part of the Association's Research Goes Red initiative, which aims to empower women to contribute to health research. More information about the American Heart Association's initiatives can be found at https://www.heart.org.

Dr. McLaughlin expressed her appreciation for the recognition, stating, "I have been such an admirer of Dr. Nanette Wenger's trailblazing career. And I'm deeply honored to receive this recognition from the American Heart Association on behalf of my co-authors. As a woman and a clinician, I'm passionate about pursuing research that leads to better cardiovascular care for women."

The implications of this research extend beyond academic recognition, pointing to systemic healthcare gaps that could have long-term consequences for women's cardiovascular health. By identifying specific disparities in postpartum care, the study provides actionable data that could inform policy changes and clinical practice improvements to address cardiovascular risk factors in vulnerable populations during critical transitional periods.