Hansard

The pathway is clear in its intent. We want to identify women with cardiovascular risk who can be treated early. Such women are provided with a home blood pressure monitor in the period immediately after giving birth and are supported through remote monitoring via an online platform and by their primary care team. There is a strong communication process. Crucially, the follow-up is structured and sustained. Such women are reviewed at six weeks after birth, as normal, again at four months, and then annually thereafter for life. Therefore, it should be perfectly possible to identify such women prospectively and to ensure that they are provided with good care.

The issue of retrospective identification is one that I will take back to officials to find out what we are doing to retrospectively identify middle-aged women like me who had pre-eclampsia many years ago, when the system was not in place.

The pathway will ensure that the window of opportunity that is presented by pregnancy is not lost. It will enable us to provide not only reactive care but proactive prevention, which is what we are after in Scotland. We are currently testing the pathway in NHS Lothian, supported by funding from the British Heart Foundation, and we are committed to evaluating its impact robustly. That is exactly the kind of innovation that ensures the provision of joined-up, person-centred care that is focused on long-term outcomes. There are many points in a woman’s life at which there are important opportunities to identify cardiovascular risk, but pregnancy absolutely remains a key opportunity for intervention.

The health of women and girls is a clear priority for this Government and for me, and I want to ensure that women and girls in Scotland experience the best possible health throughout their lives. I am proud that Scotland was the first country in the UK to deliver a women’s health plan. Women’s heart health has been a clear priority in the plan from day 1, and that focus has continued into the plan’s second phase, which was published in January 2026. Phase 2 of the women’s health plan has a renewed focus on optimising future health. It sets out the action that we will take from preconception and throughout the course of women’s lives.

Let me make it clear to Monica Lennon, for whom I have a great deal of fondness and respect, that I have responsibility for women’s health. That is a responsibility that I am delighted to have, and on which I am keen to continue Jenni Minto’s good, collaborative work. Anna Glasier is currently still the women’s health champion, and phase 2 of the women’s health plan notes that the role will continue, so it is crystal clear that women’s health is still a very high priority for this Government.

Many women in Scotland are affected by the long-term health risks associated with pre-eclampsia. That is why we have prioritised action to ensure that women who experience hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are informed about their lifetime CVD risk and are provided with opportunities to reduce that risk. The invaluable work of third sector agencies such as Action on Pre-eclampsia ensures that we continue to raise awareness and drive improvements in care, and I am very happy to place on record our appreciation for their ongoing work.

I finish by acknowledging the profound impacts that pre-eclampsia can have on women and families in Scotland. We know that, without early detection and management, women and their babies are placed at significant risk. No opportunity to prevent harm should be missed. Every woman deserves the highest standards of care, wherever she lives.

Meeting closed at 18:45.