Which maternal health risks are still identified too late, and why?

Boston, MA -- August 25 2026: Some of the most serious maternity risks can escalate quickly, yet their earliest signs may resemble common experiences during pregnancy or postpartum recovery.

Speaking ahead of Women's HealthX, Dr. Andrea Willis, SVP & Chief Medical Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield Tennessee, Dr. Kate Arnold, Program Manager, ARPA-H and Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha, Julia A. Okoro Professor of Black Maternal Health Director and Founder, Center for Maternal Health Advancement, Tufts University School of Medicine, discuss why early risk identification remains challenging and what healthcare professionals and systems should prioritize.

Recognizing when common symptoms signal risk

Dr. Andrea Willis begins by recognizing the expertise of professionals delivering maternal care. The challenge, she explains, is not a lack of clinical ability. It is distinguishing the expected physiological changes of pregnancy from early signs of complications that could lead to serious adverse outcomes. Preeclampsia, other hypertensive conditions, and maternal mental health concerns require particular attention during pregnancy and beyond the immediate postpartum period.

For healthcare professionals, this requires intentional assessment of changes in symptoms and continued attention to potential complications throughout the year following pregnancy.

Looking upstream from adverse outcomes

Dr. Kate Arnold argues that healthcare systems often focus on the catastrophic outcome, such as maternal mortality or morbidity, rather than the earlier clinical decisions that increased a patient's risk. Improving outcomes requires looking further upstream and examining how risk develops throughout pregnancy and the patient's hospital stay.

One priority for Dr. Arnold and ARPA-H is reducing unnecessary cesarean deliveries because they can increase the risk of complications including infection and hemorrhage. Her perspective highlights the importance of assessing the sequence of decisions that precedes an adverse outcome, rather than examining only the final event.

When serious risks initially appear routine

Dr. Ndidiamaka Amutah-Onukagha identifies hypertensive disorders, cardiovascular complications, blood clots, infection, hemorrhage, and perinatal mental health conditions among the serious risks that can escalate quickly. Early symptoms may include headache, fatigue, swelling, shortness of breath, pain, anxiety, or a general sense that something is wrong.

Because these symptoms can appear common during pregnancy or recovery, they may be minimized or attributed to the normal maternal experience. Recognizing a symptom is only one part of effective risk identification. Clinicians must also assess it within the context of the patient's full history and listen when the patient reports that something has changed.

What healthcare systems need to strengthen

Earlier identification requires more than awareness of individual warning signs. Healthcare organizations also need stronger maternal early-warning systems, consistent escalation protocols, and a culture that treats patients' concerns as essential clinical information.

Risk identification must continue across the maternal care pathway. As Dr. Amutah-Onukagha notes, urgent maternal warning signs can occur during pregnancy and throughout the year following delivery, not only during the immediate postpartum period.

Together, the speakers identify three priorities for healthcare professionals and maternal care leaders: Distinguish expected pregnancy changes from potential warning signs Examine the clinical decisions that increase risk before an adverse outcome occurs Strengthen early-warning systems, escalation protocols, and patient listening Improving maternal outcomes begins with recognizing risk before it becomes an emergency.