CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

97

CHAPTER 27

Statutes of 2025

Introduced by Senator Ochoa Bogh

(Coauthors: Senators Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Ashby, Blakespear, Cabaldon, Caballero, Cervantes, Choi, Cortese, Dahle, Durazo, Gonzalez, Grayson, Grove, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, McNerney, Menjivar, Niello, Pérez, Richardson, Rubio, Seyarto, Stern, Valladares, Wahab, and Weber Pierson)

February 10, 2025

Relative to Peripartum Cardiomyopathy Awareness Month.

Fiscal committee: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

This measure would designate February 2025 as Peripartum Cardiomyopathy Awareness Month.

WHEREAS, Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a form of heart failure that most often develops late in pregnancy but can occur up to five months into the postpartum period; and

WHEREAS, According to the New England Journal of Medicine, the incidence of PPCM varies from 1 in 100 to 1 in 300 pregnancies in “geographic hot spots,” such as Nigeria and Haiti, to 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 4,000 in Europe and the United States; and

WHEREAS, According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, general cardiomyopathy was the cause of 9 percent of pregnancy-related deaths between 2017 and 2019, inclusive; and

WHEREAS, According to the American Heart Association, PPCM is diagnosed in mothers without a prior diagnosis of heart disease and when no other cause of heart failure can be found; and

WHEREAS, PPCM can cause fatigue and low blood pressure due to restricted blood flow and swelling due to fluid buildup around vital organs; and

WHEREAS, PPCM is difficult to diagnosis because symptoms mimic those of a healthy pregnancy, such as shortness of breath, increased urination at night, heart palpitations, swelling in the feet and legs, and lightheadedness; and

WHEREAS, A weight gain of three pounds or more over a day or two may signal a fluid buildup that warrants a conversation with a medical professional; and

WHEREAS, Several factors increase the risk of developing PPCM, including high blood pressure, preeclampsia, multiple gestations (e.g., twins), and advanced maternal age (e.g., 35 years of age or older); and

WHEREAS, PPCM is more common amongst mothers of color and mothers diagnosed with PPCM in past pregnancies; and

WHEREAS, According to the New England Journal of Medicine, some genetic mutationsincluding titin truncating variantsmay predispose some women to PPCM; and

WHEREAS, According to the American Heart Association, PPCM is diagnosed when three criteria are met: 1) heart failure develops in late pregnancy or within months following delivery; 2) left ventricular ejection fraction (the percentage of fluid ejected from the left ventricle) is less than 45 percent (typically measured by an echocardiogram); and 3) no other cause for this heart failure can be found; and

WHEREAS, Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) levels may be tested to indicate to medical providers that the heart is not pumping properly; and

WHEREAS, If caught early, many women with PPCM will recover normal heart function within six months after treatment starts; and

WHEREAS, If left untreated, PPCM can lead to advanced, lifelong heart failure which could require a heart transplant or even result in death; and

WHEREAS, PPCM treatment can include common medications that lower blood pressure, improve heart function, or reduce fluid retention, or a combination of the three, and diet changes such as restricting fluid and salt; and

WHEREAS, Women can minimize their PPCM risk by not drinking or smoking, eating a well-balanced diet, exercising, and monitoring their blood pressure; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims the month of February 2025 as Peripartum Cardiomyopathy Awareness Month; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.