Preeclampsia • Promise Walk 2024

What's better than enjoying early Fall mornings on a Wisconsin lake shore? Walking to benefit the Preeclampsia Foundation! Thank you to each volunteer who came out on September 30th and to the families who have been affected: we SEE you.

We walked around the beautiful lake area, shared stories and talked about ways we can continue to support each other.

Our Dr. Laura Berghahn is the 2024 physician supporter and we couldn't be more proud. Here's is an excerpt of Dr. Laura Berghahn's speech

"I'm Laura Berghahn. I'm an OBGYN from Associated Physicians and I’ve had the privilege of delivering babies at Unity Point Health Meriter for more than 25 years. I am honored to be a physician supporter of this year's Promise Walk for Pre-eclampsia .

I see patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy every week. It's common.

While pre-eclampsia is diagnosed in less than 10% of pregnancies, about 30% patients who deliver in Madison have a diagnosis of some form of hypertension. That is much higher compared to 25 years ago.

The most upsetting statistic is that rate of pre-eclampsia in patients of color is higher compared to white patients. Not only are people of color more likely to develop preeclampsia, but they are more likely to experience worse outcomes, like kidney damage and death.  

Research informs us that the disparities are due to racism and not race and the majority of deaths from pre-eclampsia are preventable.

I want to share with you some of the lasting effects preeclampsia has on families even when doctors think they had a “good outcome”

PreEclampsia is a leading cause of preterm birth. I see my patients heartbroken the day I send them home from the hospital. A day that should be joyful is filled with tears because the baby needs the Neonatal ICU.

Many patients with preeclampsia experience a traumatic birth and they are at increased risk of postpartum depression, anxiety or PTSD over the next 12 months. 

Beyond the first 12 months, I see the fear of recurrence of preeclampsia and how it affects their decision whether to have more children.

There is no cure but we know that early diagnosis and prompt management are the key to preventing severe complications. We need to provide education and remove barriers to care.

All of this is why the work of the Preeclampsia Foundation is so vital. 

Thank you to everyone at the PreEclampsia Foundation for providing education, supporting families and funding research for a cure. Please join me in welcoming Vera and her beautiful family, as she shares her story. Vera and her family are recognized today as the Mission Family for 2024."

The Preeclampsia Foundation: "Thousands of women and babies get very sick each year from a dangerous condition called preeclampsia, a life-threatening hypertensive disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Preeclampsia and related disorders such as gestational hypertension, HELLP syndrome, and eclampsia are most often characterized by a rapid rise in blood pressure that can lead to seizure, stroke, multiple organ failure, and even death of the mother and/or baby.

Our Purpose is to improve the outcomes of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy by educating, supporting and engaging the community, improving healthcare practices, and finding a cure.We envision a world where hypertensive disorders of pregnancy no longer threaten the lives of mothers and their babies."

To learn more visit preeclampsia.com or reach out to our clinic directly to speak with our nurse educator at 608-233-9746.