Know Your Heart Status - Campaign

🩺Understanding BNP: A Lifesaving Test Every Mom Deserves to Know About

🧬What is BNP and Where Did It Come From?

BNP (B-type Natriuretic Peptide) is a hormone produced by your heart. When the heart is strained or stretched—like it often is during heart failure or fluid overload—BNP levels rise in the bloodstream. This makes BNP a powerful early biomarker for detecting heart conditions, including Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM).

BNP was first discovered in the late 1980s by researchers studying cardiac stress. Its significance grew rapidly in the 1990s and early 2000s, when studies confirmed its accuracy in identifying heart failure—often before symptoms become deadly.

📋How is the BNP Test Ordered?

A BNP test is a simple blood draw that measures the concentration of BNP in your blood. It’s quick, non-invasive, and can often return results in a few hours.

Doctors may order the test when patients report symptoms like:

• Shortness of breath
• Swelling in the legs or feet
• Extreme fatigue
• Chest discomfort

But here’s the truth many don’t know: BNP testing can also serve as an early screening tool—even before these symptoms appear.

🤰Can Moms Request a BNP Test—Even Without Symptoms?

Yes, they absolutely can—and should.

At LetsTalkPPCM, we advocate for proactive care, especially for:

• Pregnant women
• Postpartum women (within 12 months of delivery)
• Women with a history of high blood pressure, preeclampsia, or birth complications
• Women with family history of heart issues
• You do not need to wait until you're in crisis.

You have the right to ask your provider, “Can you please order a BNP test to check my heart health?”

❌Why Are Some Doctors Still Refusing This Test?

Unfortunately, despite being available for decades, BNP testing is still underutilized—especially in maternal care.

Some common reasons include:

• Lack of education about PPCM and postpartum heart risk
• Bias in thinking young women, especially Black women, are “too healthy” to worry about heart failure
• Insurance-driven decision-making, where providers hesitate to order “extra” tests
• Dismissal of maternal concerns as “normal anxiety” after birth

This is unacceptable in today’s world—where we have the science and tools to save lives.

🌍What Can We Do in This New World of Information?

We’re not powerless—we’re informed, united, and ready to protect moms:

✅Advocate Loudly – Ask for the BNP test. Demand documentation if it’s refused. Request second opinions.

✅Donate – Help LetsTalkPPCM offer free BNP blood testing at sites across Texas and beyond.

✅Educate – Share your story. Teach birth workers. Include BNP in your doula/birth plan conversations.

✅Partner with Progress –Join hospitals and providers who are choosing prevention over delay.

💖Moms Deserve to Know Where They Stand—Heart Wise

A single test can catch a hidden condition and give a mother the chance to keep raising her babies. BNP testing isn’t just bloodwork—it’s hope, protection, and power.