Help provide blood pressure cuffs to help detect high blood pressure in expectant mothers living in the rural areas of Chihuahua, Mexico.

Why we care: Preeclampsia or high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy is complication that can lead to serious or fatal complications for pregnant women and their babies.

How we are solving this: Detecting early signs of preeclampsia in pregnant women by providing blood pressure cuffs, and training, to community health volunteers to track the women’s blood pressure.

As part of the Network of Safety model originally developed in Tibet, One Heart provides basic life-saving skills to volunteers in rural communities. Community health volunteers are trained in the use of blood pressure cuffs, an important tool to carry when providing monthly prenatal visits for pregnant women in their communities. This simple equipment  is extremely helpful in the screening of high blood pressure, which if not treated, can lead to serious complications during the women’s pregnancy, such as preeclampsia. Early detection helps volunteers decide when to evacuate women to health care facilities for the treatment and management of this condition.

In addition, early detection is one of the most economically efficient ways to prevent serious complications and death during pregnancy and childbirth. While women are already in the midst of experiencing life-threatening complications, countless lives are lost while trying to transport patients over rough terrain and long distances.

 Help us equip our new volunteers with their own blood pressure cuffs. Your contribution will help increase early detection and will ultimately save lives!