CIGNAL for Hypertension

The TASC, in partnership with Dr. Divya Mallampati from the Division of Fetal Medicine and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California in San Francisco, hosted a two-hour CIGNAL: Change Ideas to Grow, Nurture, and Lift for Hypertension webinar for all grantees on Wednesday, February 22. The CIGNAL for Hypertension webinar aimed to enhance and strengthen HS grantees’ capacity to identify and execute strategies to assure improved and equitable hypertension services for the women and birthing people they serve. During this webinar, the group explored best practices and challenges associated with addressing hypertension among pregnant and postpartum people; highlighted stories from HS grantees doing the work around hypertension; and provided participants with resources and tools for testing strategies in their own communities.

The group worked to identify and explore potential change ideas, as part of a discussion focused on questions including:

1. How do hypertensive disorders affect pregnant people in your community? Are there specific stories that stand out to you?
2. What are the components of your Healthy Start Program that address hypertensive disorders (e.g., blood pressure cuff kits, centering pregnancy, community health workers)?
3. What aspects of your program work well and why?
4. Do you have a success story from your program?
5. What do you think pregnant/postpartum people with hypertension in your communities struggle with the most?
6. What challenges do you feel your program faces in addressing the needs of pregnant/postpartum people?
7. How has your organization attempted to overcome or mitigate those challenges?