In Reply:

In Reply: We appreciate the thoughtful commentary provided by Drs. Li, Wang, and Chen regarding our article published in the January 2025 issue.1 We value the opportunity to discuss racial disparities and potential strategies to address them. We agree that disparities between Black and White individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD) are rooted in social determinants of health that extend beyond clinical risk factors and that these risks persist into the postpartum period. Although evaluating health care indices and geographic care disparities is crucial for addressing inequalities, large national data sets such as the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) lack the granular detail needed for such analysis. Furthermore, the lack of linked readmission data within the NIS limits evaluation of postpartum events. Although multidisciplinary management is recommended for patients with CVD, we acknowledge that access to cardio-obstetric teams is limited in certain geographic regions. Programs such as the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health and the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative have developed care bundles and toolkits to provide actionable steps that can be implemented across a variety of facilities regardless of resource availability.2,3 These bundles aim to standardize practices for recognition, evaluation, and management of cardiac conditions in pregnancy to facilitate improved care for patients with CVD.2,3 Furthermore, telemedicine visit recommendations for those with CVD have been developed previously.4 Implementation of these guidelines for certain patients may help improve access for those unable to access tertiary care centers. Although continued research is needed, implementation and evaluation of the strategies listed above provide important steps toward addressing inequalities and expanding access to evidence-based care for individuals with CVD.