Perak AM, et al. - To characterize cardiovascular health (CVH) in the US pregnant women, researchers examined cross-sectional data for 1,117 pregnant and 8,200 nonpregnant women (aged 20 to 44 years) from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 1999 to 2014. They evaluated 7 CVH metrics applying American Heart Association definitions modified for pregnancy; classified metrics as ideal, intermediate, or poor; allotted these classes 2, 1, or 0 points, respectively; and summed across the 7 metrics for a total score of 0 to 14 points. High CVH, moderate CVH, and low CVH were indicated by total scores 12 to 14, 8 to 11, and 0 to 7, respectively. For diet, physical activity, total cholesterol, body mass index, smoking, blood pressure, and for fasting glucose, the prevalences of ideal levels of CVH metrics were estimated to be 0.1%, 27.3%, 38.9%, 51.1%, 77.7%, 90.4%, and 91.6%, respectively, among pregnant women. The mean total CVH score was calculated to be 8.3 of 14, with high CVH, moderate CVH, and low CVH in 4.6%, 60.6%, and 34.8%, respectively. Pregnant vs nonpregnant women had significantly lower CVH levels. Overall, high CVH was reported, from 1999 to 2014, in < 1 in 10 US pregnant women, aged 20 to 44 years.