Preventability of stroke during pregnancy and postpartum

Abstract

Background The preventability of strokes during pregnancy and postpartum is understudied. Methods We identified patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes in pregnancy or within 12 weeks postpartum between 2009 and 2020 at an obstetric teaching hospital. We described the clinical course of the included cases. A multi-disciplinary panel adjudicated each occurrence of stroke according to a modified classification system for preventability. Results Fifteen patients experienced a stroke during pregnancy or postpartum. Precisely, 60% presented with a headache, and 47% of events were complicated by severe obstetrical hypertension. Two cases were thought to be “possibly preventable” due to delays in presentation to care and miscommunication regarding hypertension management goals. Conclusion In a cohort of pregnant and postpartum patients with stroke at a tertiary-care center, strokes may be prevented by future initiatives focusing on patient and provider education regarding early warning signs of pregnancy-associated stroke and hypertension thresholds and management specific to pregnancy.