Dr. Afshan Hameed is a board-certified UCI Health Cardiologist and maternal-fetal medicine specialist. She is a nationally recognized expert who co-authored the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' inter-conception care guidelines for women with hypertension to improve post-partum care and follow up. Her clinical interests include heart disease in pregnancy, fetal echocardiography, preeclampsia and anticoagulation in pregnancy. Her research focus is on maternal cardiac disease, anticoagulation in pregnancy and improving maternal morbidity and mortality. She maintains current funding for four active research projects examining cardiac disease and its relationship to pregnancy, with an emphasis on heart failure, valvular disease and anticoagulation in pregnancy. Her goal is to eliminate preventable causes of maternal morbidity and mortality.
From the time they reach reproductive age, women are encouraged to visit an OB-GYN at least once a year for a wellness exam that may include screening for breast or cervical cancer, sexually transmitted diseases or other issues involving their reproductive organs.
Cardiovascular risk assessment is important at all ages, particularly during the childbearing years. But I don't think awareness is where it needs to be. We need to be bringing it up to every woman who comes in for OB-GYN care.