At 35, Brooklyn resident Luyba Caloras was healthy, with no history of heart problems and no reason to think she was at risk of them. But pregnancy can act as a stress test on the heart—and soon after delivering her son at NYU Langone Health on February 3, 2024, she was diagnosed with a complication she never expected.
"I thought once the baby is here and healthy, you're in the clear," said Caloras. "I didn't realize something like this could happen after."
An unexpected turn after delivery
Just days after giving birth, something didn't feel right.
Caloras developed postpartum preeclampsia, a condition that causes high blood pressure after childbirth. Initially, her blood pressure had appeared stable, and she was discharged from the hospital without symptoms. Like many new mothers, she focused on her baby, dismissing subtle changes in her body as part of normal recovery.
But following her obstetrician's recommendation to monitor her blood pressure at home, Caloras noticed the numbers steadily climbing above a normal range. She promptly returned to the hospital, where she was diagnosed and began treatment.
"It was scary. I didn't know what was happening to my body," she said.
NYU Langone's maternal-fetal medicine team quickly stabilized her blood pressure and monitored her closely. As she improved, she transitioned into NYU Langone's Cardio-Obstetrics Program, where she began working with cardiologist and co-director Anais Hausvater, MD, who specializes in postpartum cardiovascular health.
Led by Dr. Hausvater and Christina A. Penfield, MD, MPH, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, the Cardio-Obstetrics Program brings together experts in obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine, adult congenital heart disease, and preventive cardiology to care for people before, during, and after pregnancy, while also addressing their long-term heart health. Care extends into the "fourth trimester"—the critical months after delivery when complications like Caloras's often arise—with specialized follow-ups through the Postpartum Cardiovascular Health Program, part of the Cardio-Obstetrics Program.
For Caloras, that care changed everything.
Rather than treating her condition as a onetime complication, Dr. Hausvater and the team helped Caloras understand it as an early warning sign of future heart disease.
With that in mind, Caloras embarked on a plan to protect her health. Dr. Hausvater identified that she had developed chronic high blood pressure—a common long-term effect of preeclampsia—and worked to bring it under control with medication.
"We recognized that her blood pressure remained elevated well after delivery, which can happen after preeclampsia," said Dr. Hausvater. "Optimizing blood pressure is critical, both for long-term heart health and for any future pregnancies."
Caloras began checking her blood pressure at home, took medication as needed, made lifestyle changes, and continued regular follow-up care.
"It opened my eyes," said Caloras. "This wasn't just about that moment; it was about my future."
A second pregnancy, with coordinated care
When Caloras became pregnant again, her care plan was shaped by everything her team had already learned. She transitioned seamlessly back into high-risk obstetrics care and was managed by maternal-fetal medicine specialist Kristine E. Brown, MD, a member of the Cardio-Obstetrics Program and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, alongside Dr. Hausvater. Her doctors closely monitored her blood pressure, adjusted her care throughout the pregnancy, and focused on reducing her risk of complications.
"By integrating cardiology into pregnancy and postpartum care, we can better support patients throughout and beyond pregnancy," said Dr. Brown. "Our Cardio-Obstetrics Program is designed to be seamless, with cardiologists and maternal-fetal medicine specialists working side by side so care is coordinated every step of the way."
Because people who experience preeclampsia in one pregnancy are more likely to develop it again, this proactive, coordinated approach was especially important. "We start preventive steps early, including low-dose aspirin in the first trimester, to help reduce the risk of it happening again," said Dr. Brown.
On October 30, 2025, Caloras delivered a healthy daughter, this time without preeclampsia and with a care plan designed around her individual risk.
Pregnancy can reveal future heart risks
Caloras's experience reflects something doctors are increasingly recognizing: Pregnancy can offer an early window into long-term heart health.
"Pregnancy is what we call nature's stress test," said Dr. Brown. "The heart has to work much harder during this time."
Complications such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, and pregnancy loss are now understood to be important signs of future cardiovascular risk.
Hypertensive disorders, such as preeclampsia, affect about 1 in 8 pregnancies in the United States, and people who experience it face two to four times the risk of developing high blood pressure and heart disease later in life.
"These risks don't disappear after delivery," said Dr. Hausvater. "Even decades later, we see higher rates of heart disease, heart failure, and stroke."
A chance to change the future
Many people don't think about heart disease until later in life, but Caloras's story shows that there's an opportunity to act much earlier.
By recognizing pregnancy or postpartum complications as warning signs—not just onetime events—cardiologists can intervene sooner with monitoring, prevention, and long-term care. "The postpartum period, or the 'fourth trimester,' is one of the highest-risk windows for complications, yet many women don't receive ongoing follow-up after delivery," said Dr. Hausvater.
Dr. Hausvater encourages postpartum individuals—especially those who experienced complications like preeclampsia—to continue monitoring their health at home, including using a blood pressure cuff and staying connected with their care team after delivery.
For Caloras, that early intervention helped protect her long-term health and made her second pregnancy safer and more predictable.
"I want other moms to know: Listen to your body," she said. "If something feels off, don't ignore it."
AI-based ECG interpretation outperforms standard diagnosis of occlusive myocardial infarction