February is American Heart Month, which aims to raise awareness about heart disease and what you can do to prevent it. Heart health disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and approximately 4 in 10 adult women have hypertension (high blood pressure), a contributing risk factor.
Hypertension is one of the leading — and most preventable — contributors to maternal death and to disparities in maternal morbidity and mortality. Family planning providers can play a role in helping to prevent heart disease and hypertension by implementing best practices for hypertension prevention, diagnosis, and control in reproductive health care settings.
The resources below from the RHNTC and the National Clinical Training Center for Family Planning (NCTCFP) can support family planning providers to learn more about hypertension prevention and control, and implement blood pressure screening into family planning and preconception health services.
RHNTC Resources
Recognize Postpartum Warning Signs Poster
This poster reminds staff and clinical services providers to ask the screening question, "Are you pregnant, or have you been pregnant in the past 12 months?” and to flag urgent maternal warning signs to reduce chance of missing postpartum warning signs like for cardiomyopathy that can lead to maternal mortality.
Recognizing Urgent Maternal Warning Signs in the Postpartum Period Webinar
This archived webinar covers the importance of screening for and flagging urgent maternal warning signs to reduce the chance of missing postpartum warning signs—like cardiomyopathy—that can lead to death.
The Clinical Pathway for Family Planning and Hypertension Services Video
This 2-minute animated video describes how hypertension services fit into the clinical pathway for family planning; the impact on health outcomes and equity; and how the Hypertension Prevention and Control Improvement Toolkit can be used to help improve reproductive and maternal health outcomes.
Tackling Hypertension through Reproductive Health Care in Kachemak Bay: A Case Study Video
This 5-minute video describes how the Kachemak Bay Family Planning clinic in Homer, Alaska, used an improvement process and tools in the Hypertension Prevention and Control Toolkit to expand their hypertension prevention and control services.
Hypertension: Screen, Start, Connect Video
A 5-minute video featuring Dr. Raegan McDonald-Mosley, MD, MPH, a practicing OB/GYN and the CEO of Power to Decide.
Hypertension Prevention and Control Improvement Toolkit
A toolkit to support Title X Family Planning Program grantees and service sites in implementing best practices for hypertension prevention, diagnosis, and control practices in a reproductive health care setting.
Integrating Hypertension Prevention and Control into Family Planning Services eLearning
An eLearning course with foundational information on hypertension and evidence-based strategies for incorporating hypertension prevention and control into family planning services. Free CE is available.
Accurate Measurement of Blood Pressure in a Reproductive Health Setting Video
This short video and accompanying knowledge check and observation checklist can be used to ensure clinical staff who measure blood pressure have the knowledge and skills to accurately measure a client’s blood pressure.
8 Steps to Accurately Measure Blood Pressure (BP) Job Aid
This poster provides written and visual guidance on the steps to take for accurately measuring a client's blood pressure.
Integrating Blood Pressure Screening into Preconception Health Services Job Aid
This job aid explains why it is important for family planning providers to integrate blood pressure screening into preconception health services.
Available in Spanish: Ayuda del trabajo: Integración de la evaluación de presión arterial en los servicios de salud preconcepcional
Integrating Blood Pressure Screening and Intervention into Family Planning Visits Job Aid
This job aid explains why it is important for family planning providers to screen for high blood pressure and provide key messages to use with clients.
Available in Spanish: Ayuda del trabajo: Integración de la evaluación e intervención de presión arterial en las citas de planificación familiar
How to Diagnose and Manage Hypertension in a Family Planning Setting Job Aid
This algorithm can be used by family planning providers to aid clinical decision making when diagnosing and managing hypertension.
Grantee Spotlights
A Hypertension Control Champion in Iowa
In this grantee spotlight, learn how Siouxland Community Health Center, a Title X service site in Iowa, achieved blood pressure control for more than 80% of their adult patients with hypertension.
Integrating Family Planning and Chronic Disease Management for Performance Improvement in Georgia
In this grantee spotlight, read how Georgia Family Planning Council has integrated family planning and chronic disease management across their Title X network.
Strengthening Hypertension Prevention and Control Services in Alaska
In this grantee spotlight, learn how Kachemak Bay Family Planning clinic implemented specific action steps to strengthen their hypertension prevention and control services.
NCTCFP Resources
Archived Clinician Cafe: Addressing Hypertension in Family Planning Settings
The Clinician Cafe is a virtual, multi-modal learning platform that allows participants to choose methods of learning in regards to different aspects of care provided in family planning settings. In addition to recorded Zoom chats, case studies, and other resources, this archived eLearning features the following, which are also available as standalone training resources:
Articles of Interest (eLearning): Hypertension in Reproductive Age Women
Articles of Interest are topical journal articles that keep you informed on family planning topics. CE is available.
The Family Planning Files Podcast: Hypertension and Reproductive Health
The Family Planning Files Podcast: Epidemiology of Hypertension in US Women
Episodes of the NCTCFP podcast, The Family Planning Files, are a convenient way for reproductive health professionals to hear about the latest news and topics in an easy to access format.
Identifying and Managing Hypertension in Family Planning Settings: A Title X Prescriber’s Supplement to “Hypertension Prevention and Control Improvement Toolkit”
This supplement to the RHNTC’s Hypertension Prevention and Control Improvement Toolkit provides Title X prescribers with evidence-based resources for diagnosing and managing hypertension.
