UCSF Cardiologist Receives Prestigious Women's Heart Health Research Award for Postpartum Care Study

Megan McLaughlin, M.D., M.P.H., 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 was honored 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 critical gaps in postpartum care for individuals with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, which represent a major risk factor for future cardiovascular disease. Using nationally representative data from over 47,000 postpartum individuals with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, Dr. McLaughlin and her co-authors discovered that while most patients attended a postpartum visit, attendance varied significantly by race, ethnicity, insurance status and socioeconomic factors. The study also revealed that many patients reported not receiving essential counseling or screening for cardiovascular risk factors during their postpartum visits, including lifestyle guidance, smoking cessation support, or diabetes testing.

Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, the American Heart Association's 2025-2026 volunteer president, emphasized the importance of Dr. McLaughlin's findings, stating that the research underscores the critical role of early education and targeted intervention in preventing long-term heart disease. The study confirms missed opportunities to improve long-term heart health in a high-risk population and provides important information that can help improve postpartum care and help more women live longer, healthier lives. The American Heart Association's Research Goes Red initiative aims to empower women to contribute to health research, and this award specifically honors research that advances understanding of cardiovascular disease in women.

The award selection process involved evaluation by 25 expert peer reviewers who assessed submissions for scientific impact, innovation, methodology, and quality of data and evidence supporting hypotheses and conclusions. 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 award is named in honor of Nanette K. Wenger, M.D., FAHA, and her pioneering career in women's cardiovascular disease medicine. Dr. Wenger is an emeritus professor of medicine in the division of cardiology at Emory University School of Medicine and has been a foundational figure in advancing women's heart health research and clinical care.

Dr. McLaughlin expressed her honor in receiving the recognition, noting her admiration for Dr. Wenger's trailblazing career and her personal passion as a woman and clinician for pursuing research that leads to better cardiovascular care for women. Her research focuses on heart disease prevention and women's cardiovascular health, particularly developing and evaluating new approaches to improve the management of risk factors such as high blood pressure and studying how to prevent heart disease development in women with pregnancy complications. The findings from her award-winning study highlight the urgent need for more comprehensive and equitable postpartum care strategies to address cardiovascular risk factors in women who experience hypertensive disorders during pregnancy.