Program Improves Outcomes for Mothers with Hypertension

August 25, 2025

This year, HAP released an action plan for Pennsylvania hospitals and policymakers to improve maternal health quality, equity, and access. Ahead of our inaugural maternal health summit, we’re spotlighting promising practices and innovations that Pennsylvania hospitals have implemented to improve care for moms and babies.

The challenges of motherhood are many, but hypertension is among the most serious for its potential health consequences. Recognizing that hypertension is the leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, experts at Penn Medicine created the Heart Safe Motherhood (HSM) program to improve postpartum care for mothers at risk for this life-threatening condition.

HSM provides a customized approach to care for mothers, by leveraging technology to ensure the safety and quality of care during a woman’s transition from hospital to home. Doctors at Penn developed HSM in the pursuit of better maternal outcomes and to improve the care experience for women with pregnancy-related hypertension following delivery.

The program works by equipping new mothers with blood pressure monitors to be used at home. A software program sends text reminders to mothers to take their blood pressure readings twice daily. The patients then receive automated, real-time feedback based on a provider-determined algorithm and providers are alerted if intervention is recommended.

Here are a few key takeaways: 

• By the numbers:  Pregnancy-related hypertension affects approximately 10 percent of the 6 million pregnancies each year in the United States and may lead to or include preeclampsia, a disease unique to pregnancy consisting of elevated blood pressures with risk of progression to stroke, seizure, and end-organ damage.
• The risks of motherhood:   Pregnancy-related hypertension is a leading cause of seven-day obstetrical readmissions and is responsible for 20 percent of the 700 maternal deaths in the United States each year, the majority of which occur after shortly hospital discharge.
• Essential guidelines:  Doctors recommend mothers at risk to monitor their blood pressure at 72 hours and seven to 10 days postpartum.
• Working smarter:  The HSM program allows for efficient large-scale, remote patient monitoring, making it easier to focus on patient care. 
• Post-partum care made easier:  After delivery, frequent in-person doctor visits are not easy. Having an at-home blood pressure monitor and daily reminders provide a more doable approach to monitoring a new mother’s risk for hypertension and its related conditions.

Read about Penn’s Heart Safe Motherhood program online.

HAP’s Maternal Health Summit, September 24 in Harrisburg, will bring together health care leaders and community partners to share current strategies, programs, and innovations driving maternal health improvement within their organizations and communities. Learn more and register online.