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New program educates new moms on cardiovascular risks

In the style of Surrounded by Music by Leonid Afremov, an image of a mother holding an infant with a background in shades of blue and pink. The mother's heart is visible through her dress, representing heart health during and after pregnancy.
Kat Kollins with Microsoft Copilot
The American Heart Association and Crouse Health are distributing kits to new moms in Central New York to educate them about cardiovascular disease risks associated with childbirth.

New moms across Central New York are being educated about threats surrounding cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association says heart disease is the number one killer of new moms, and it’s working with Crouse Health to distribute kits to help them learn about heart and brain risks associated with childbirth. The kits include a CPR Anytime® kit so parents can learn how to perform CPR, as well as a home blood pressure monitor for new moms. The Heart Association aims to help those giving birth understand how to reduce risks and make things safer for themselves and their babies.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of maternal death in the U.S., and it poses a higher lifetime risk for women after delivery. The American Heart Association, supported by Crouse Health, is encouraging moms-to-be and new moms to learn their risk factors and manage their medical conditions before, during, and after pregnancy.

Recently, Crouse Health and the American Heart Association presented new mom kits to the Syracuse Community Health Center. These kits, which will be given to maternity patients, include healthy items for both mom and baby. The kits contain an Infant CPR Anytime® kit, a home blood pressure monitor, maternal health information in both English and Spanish, and additional items provided by Crouse Health.

Pregnancy and childbirth can put women’s health at risk, but many pregnancy-associated deaths can be avoided. The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rates among developed countries, with pregnancy-related deaths rising significantly over the last three decades. Cardiovascular disease can pose a threat to women’s heart health during pregnancy and later in life, making it crucial for women to understand how to care for themselves and their babies.

For more information about maternal health or to access educational resources and support, visit Go Red for Women.

Bob Beck, a veteran media professional, currently serves as a part-time editor/host at WAER Public Radio and an adjunct professor at Syracuse University. Beck retired as News Director at Wyoming Public Radio in 2022 after 34 years. During his time, Beck won 5 regional Edward R. Murrow awards and 5 Public Media Journalists Association awards for reporting. He also won 11 PMJA awards for the news and public affairs program Open Spaces. He was awarded the Wyoming School Bell award for education reporting and was part of two Emmy Award winning television productions. You can find him on X under the name @butterbob.


Kat is WAER's anchor/producer, delivering local news content and hosting NPR's "All Things Considered." She excels in creating engaging long-form content, managing promotions, and leading audio editing projects. Kat is also instrumental in converting daily news content into digital formats for distribution on WAER.org.