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Cardiac diseases are considered as high-risk pregnancy concerns and are conditions that require special medical attention. Even though cardiac diseases, specific to pregnancy conditions, are not very common, we cannot ignore the fact that women can be prone to cardiovascular diseases during their pregnancy period. According to a study by the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (Government of the United States), 0.2% women face pregnancy complications due to cardiac diseases. If hypertensive diseases are also considered, the figure could rise up to 8%.

Most cases of cardiac problems during pregnancies are an aggravation of the underlying diseases. Hypertension and diabetes increases the possibility of being prone to these high-risk pregnancy conditions. There are also chances that women become vulnerable to heart diseases during pregnancy due to the huge hormonal and physiological changes. And it is an alarming fact that cardiac diseases lead to mortality of pregnant women, making them high-risk obstetrics conditions.

Major Heart-related Concerns during Pregnancy

Heart problems that exist before pregnancy, as well as those that develop during pregnancy, can lead to complications. Let’s understand the major types of heart problems that pregnant women may face.

Underlying cardiac issues that can possibly increase risk during pregnancy are:

Congenital Heart Diseases:  There are high chances that the congenital heart diseases (heart diseases by birth) can become a concern during  pregnancy. These include Pulmonary Valve Stenosis, Atrial Septal Defects, Ventricular Septal defects, Aortic Valve Stenosis, etc.

Cardiomyopathy: It is a condition that affects the muscles of the heart, resulting in the reduction of the heart’s ability to pump blood to other parts of the body. Cardiomyopathy is a major cause of complications and death during pregnancy.

Heart Valve Diseases: This refers to issues relating to the heart valve, which can be mild to severe, including Aortic valve regurgitation, Mitral valve prolapse, Mitral valve stenosis, etc. Women with such conditions require special care during pregnancy.

Aortic disease: Also called as aortopathy, these are conditions that affect the aorta. There are possibilities that women face complications during their pregnancies if they are already experiencing these conditions.

Heart issues that can develop during pregnancy include:

Arrhythmias: Arrhythmias refers to the condition of facing irregular heartbeats. In some instances these irregular heartbeats are harmless. However when Arrhythmias combine with congenital heart diseases, there are higher chances of complications.

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD): This is a high-risk condition where one or more arteries experience a sudden tear. This condition is usually experienced by women post childbirth.

Myocardial ischemia: This is a condition when the heart does not receive enough blood and can be a major reason for heart attacks in pregnant women.

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy: Peripartum cardiomyopathy is usually observed in women in the later stages of their pregnancies or in the initial days after childbirth. This condition usually prevents the heart from pumping enough blood and can lead to heart failure.

If one is facing unusual weakness, shortness of breath, swelling in the feet or ankles, etc. it is recommended to consult a doctor, even if these are common during pregnancy. Early detection of heart diseases could be helpful in controlling the possibility of complications. In order to handle such high-risk pregnancy cases, you need to be specialized in high-risk obstetrics care.

With  StyudyHRO’s High-Risk Obstetrics course, you can improve your knowledge and expertise of high-risk pregnancy care as an obstetrician. For more details, please feel free to contact us.

Authored By: Pooja Premraj