#PreAM14 Twitter Party

May 2014 Preeclampsia Awareness Month Fact Sheet

Theme: Take the Preeclampsia Pledge – Know the Symptoms. Spread the Word.

Who: The Preeclampsia Foundation is the only national nonprofit patient advocacy organization for the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Through Preeclampsia Awareness Month and a host of other efforts, the Preeclampsia Foundation and other partners work to achieve its mission to provide patient support and education, raise public awareness, catalyze research, and improve health care practices.

What: As a nationally recognized health observance, Preeclampsia Awareness Month presents the perfect opportunity for the Preeclampsia Foundation to offer education and events that will increase awareness of this life-threatening disorder of pregnancy, which occurs in up to eight percent of all pregnancies.

Why: In conjunction with Preeclampsia Awareness Month, the Preeclampsia Foundation is releasing results of a recent survey of expectant and new moms that indicates high overall awareness of preeclampsia. Awareness declines, however, when asked about specific symptoms, and among less educated and affluent respondents. Additional studies have shown that the more a pregnant woman knows about preeclampsia, the more likely she is to recognize and report symptoms, thus improving time to diagnosis and medical evaluation.

Where: Throughout May, the Preeclampsia Foundation is hosting the Promise Walk for Preeclampsia in 38 cities across the country as well as a virtual Promise Walk. Visit www.promisewalk.org for specific locations. Promise Walks range from walks to 5K runs and may also feature guest speakers, appearances by media personalities, free blood pressure screenings, silent auctions, raffles, family activities, and memorial events. Other Preeclampsia Awareness Month educational opportunities are listed below.