Potential Long-Term Effects of Hypertension During Pregnancy

An experienced OB/GYN, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, utilizes her more than 15 years of experience as a medical professional in caring for a large number of obstetrics patients. She prides herself on serving as an advocate for fighting against race-based health care disparities and improving the care of women from underserved communities. Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, also has significant experience in related obstetrics and gynecology issues, including cervical and breast cancer screenings and hypertensive disorders during pregnancy.

Hypertension is a relatively common complication that women can experience during pregnancy, with varying degrees of severity. Around 6 to 8 percent of pregnant women are affected by hypertensive disorders, and hypertension lands second on the list of leading causes of maternal morbidity for the United States. Though hypertension in pregnancy is primarily viewed as an obstetrical disorder, there is increasing interest in research on the long-term health effects of hypertension during pregnancy on the rest of a woman’s life.

Gestational hypertension, which occurs when women that have not had high blood pressure before experience it during pregnancy, can potentially lead to more serious hypertensive disorders, like preeclampsia. A potentially dangerous condition, preeclampsia can lead to women developing diastolic dysfunction, where the blood does not fill the heart correctly. This condition can also be an early warning sign of heart failure.

Early studies have shown that women who suffer from preeclampsia during pregnancy may be up to twice as likely as women with uncomplicated pregnancies to develop heart and kidney failure later in life. Though more research and greater diversity in the subjects is needed for usable data, at the very least it suggests that women with a history of preeclampsia would be wise to seek out preventative care and monitor their health regularly.

The NAACP’s Civic Engagement Program

A top performing OB/GYN, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, has been named one of America’s top 100 doctors by the Consumers' Research Council of America, among other accolades. A devoted activist in the area of social justice, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, spends her free time supporting the work of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and other equal rights organizations.

Since its founding in 1909, the NAACP has worked to ensure a society where all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race or ethnicity. The organization, which maintains over 2,200 branches across the United States, operates with the support of over two million activists.

Those interested in supporting the NAACP’s fight for equal rights have access to the organization’s Civic Engagement Program. A volunteer program, the effort focuses on increasing Black voter turnout. Volunteers can participate for as little as a few minutes each week, and have access to organizational support that include talking points, call centers, and tools such as community text messaging. Moreover, the NAACP provides each volunteer with lists of names, phone numbers, and addresses, enabling them to conduct targeted outreach.

Consumers' Research Council of America - Top OB/GYN Selection

                           

An advocate for high-quality healthcare for all, Shawanda Renee Obey, M.D. is a supervising physician at the Northeast Valley Health Corporation. Shawanda Renee Obey, M.D. is an award-winning obstetrician and gynecologist, having earned the 2011's Top 100 Doctors in Dallas, and the Top OB/GYN of 2012, from the Consumers' Research Council of America (CRCA).

Based in Washington DC, CRCA is a research organization that provides information about professionals and their services to customers across the country. Besides providing education to the community through guides and tips, CRCA also has unbiased lists with selected America's Best professionals in several industries, such as healthcare and education.

CRCA selects top healthcare practitioners who provide obstetric and gynecologic care in the US by utilizing a point value method. This system uses some relevant criteria to determine and compile a list of top OB/GYN professionals. First, the doctor's experience is taken into consideration, as well as education and training education.

Other criteria for CRCA top OB/GYN selection are membership and affiliation in obstetric and gynecologic associations, the completion of an eligible residency program, and passing the specialty examination. If the MD has accumulated the required amount of points, she or he will be part of the CRCA top OG/GYN list.

Factors in Higher Pregnancy Death Rates among Black Women

After working as a hospitalist and solo practitioner, board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, joined Northeast Valley Health Corporation as a supervising physician. Twice named a top OB/GYN by the Consumers' Research Council of America, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, is committed to improving patient outcomes for women, especially Black women who experience higher rates of maternal mortality and post-delivery complications.

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related complication than white women. While the cause of this discrepancy is complex, there are three factors that most experts acknowledge:

Bias in the medical field: While explicit training can reduce unconscious bias held by medical professionals, negative stereotypes about Black women can influence how they are treated in medical settings. Doctors may dismiss a Black patient's complaints or be more likely to make medical decisions on their behalf compared to other patients.

Higher disease burden: Black women have higher rates of chronic illnesses such as hypertension and obesity that can cause pregnancy complications. Black women are also more likely to develop fibroids, which can increase in size during pregnancy.

Lack of prenatal care: In the United State, Black women are more likely to be underinsured and lack access to contraceptive and prenatal care. Adequate prenatal care can greatly reduce the chance of pregnancy-related death.

AAPS Calls for Repeal of Medicare and ACA Restrictions

Drawing on experience caring for patients with a number of medical groups, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, works with the Northeast Valley Health Corporation as a supervising physician, where she performs minimally invasive outpatient procedures. In addition, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, is a member of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), which provides educational resources and support to medical professionals.

The organization has issued a white paper arguing that Medicare and Affordable Care Act (ACA) restrictions should be repealed, highlighting those that prevent medical professionals from offering affordable options to uninsured patients. In the white paper, which appears in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, AAPS executive director Jane M. Orient, MD, claims that this would provide millions of Americans with more options for their insurance.

She also argues that current restrictions would lead to increasing costs, as well as a decrease in the quality of health care patients receive. As such, AAPS suggests removing these restrictions would allow medical professionals who accept Medicare to provide services to more patients, which would result in an expansion of overall healthcare coverage.

AAPS Responds To Surprise Medical Bills Act

\Serving as a supervising physician at the Northeast Valley Health Corporation, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, is responsible for providing obstetric and gynecologic care to underserved patients in areas of Los Angeles. In addition, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, is involved with professional organizations such as the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS).

Following the release of the Consumer Protections Against Surprise Medical Bills Act, the AAPS stated many of the benefits lawmakers claim it has may not be accurate. For example, while the Act looks to recognize private dynamics between insurance providers and plans, the AAPS argues no such dynamics exist.

Instead, benefits may only be seen by patients using “participating providers,” which could mean that many may not see the potential benefits the new law is supposed to have. This has led to the AAPS asserting corporations will effectively get to choose which treatments a patient will receive.

As such, the AAPS has called for greater transparency, alongside a greater choice of insurance products, which also should be explained clearly to potential buyers before they sign up.

Three Symptoms of Physician Burnout that Affect Patient Outcomes

Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, is an obstetrician and gynecologist working in the San Fernando Valley area as an independent contractor and a supervising physician for NorthEast Valley Health. As an MD, Dr. Shawanda Renee Obey is familiar with the issue of physician burnout and the problems it can cause for both doctors and patients.

Physician burnout has been on the rise, thanks in part to modern health metrics and a comparative culture in healthcare. One of the most obvious symptoms is exhaustion. Physicians may feel emotionally and physically depleted to the point that it affects their ability to care for others.

They may also become cynical as a result of long-term stress. This is particularly nefarious because empathy is a physician’s stock in trade, and a cynical attitude impairs a doctor's ability to connect with patients and staff, ultimately affecting how all involved care for patients.

Finally, and perhaps most damaging, is doubt. When doctors begin to doubt the impact they’re making for patients it can lead to profound dissatisfaction, resulting in depression and even suicide.

ACLU Advocates for Smart Justice

Serving as an OB hospitalist independent contractor at Pomona Valley Medical Center, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, takes care of a high volume of obstetrics patients. She also serves as the supervising physician at Northeast Valley Health Corporation in San Fernando. As a social justice advocate, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, has been actively involved in some of the programs of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) since 2017.

ACLU’s Smart Justice campaign focuses on reducing the population in US prisons by half, with special emphasis on racial disparities. Hundreds of thousands of incarcerated Americans are serving sentences that far outweigh their crimes, the ACLU noted.

Smart Justice fights “extreme sentencing laws” and “mandatory minimum laws” that make judges unable to promulgate sentences that fit the crimes. The fight reaches the US Congress, where the ACLU pushes for the passing of the Smarter Sentencing Act.

Smart Justice works with all 50 states to introduce smarter justice. To end mass incarceration, Smart Justice pushes for bills that address sentencing reform, bail reform, prosecutorial reform, parole, and re-entry.

NAACP’s 2020 Census Suit Will Proceed

Based in Santa Clarita, California, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, is a physician with several years of experience, having worked with a variety of medical facilities. In addition, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, is a member of several professional organizations, such as the NAACP, which she joined in 2017.

The NAACP made headlines for filing suit against the federal government in 2018 for what it believes to be inadequate census 2020 preparations, though this was eventually dismissed. However, the NAACP has won an appeal reinstating the lawsuit, which looks to ensure that all people are counted in the 2020 Census.

The suit came about due to the belief that a variety of communities have been historically undercounted, with many of these being comprised of people of color. The NAACP notes that this has resulted in communities of color being underrepresented in a variety of areas, such as transportation, health care, and more.

With the suit having been reinstated, the NAACP believes that some of the decisions that undercount these communities may be addressed before the 2020 Census.

Regular Breast Cancer Screenings Boost Survival Rates

Voted a top OB/GYN in 2012 by Consumers’ Research Council of America, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, works as a supervising physician at Northeast Valley Health Corporation in San Fernando, California. In addition to providing outpatient obstetric and gynecologic care to underserved residents of the San Fernando Valley and Santa Clarita, Shawanda Renee Obey, MD, counsels patients on breast cancer prevention.

Screening tests for breast cancer have become more advanced and are able to identify cancerous breast cells before other warning signs or symptoms appear. Keeping up with regular screenings and identifying cancer early leads to better survival rates. After age 40, typically breast cancer screenings include a clinical breast exam and mammography. Women with histories of breast cancer in their families or other heightened risk factors may undergo breast MRIs to look for cancerous changes in the breast.

If you have an abnormal finding on your screening test, it’s critical to follow up with your doctor right away to get early treatment for the best chance of survival. If you don’t have insurance, the Komen Breast Care Helpline may be able to assist you with finding a low-cost mammography service in your area. Call the helpline at 1-877-GO-KOMEN to find out more about breast cancer screening resources in your area.