During pregnancy, a woman’s heart must meet the increased needs of the body, both for herself and for the fetus. The heart adapts to withstand the increased load and may stretch slightly. Other changes in the pregnant woman’s heart:
- Blood volume increases by approximately 30-50%, increasing pressure on the heart and leading to a greater cardiac workload.
- The heart rate may increase by 10-15 beats per minute in order to pump the increased blood volume.
- Also, systolic and diastolic blood pressure may decrease during the first trimester, but return to their normal value thereafter.
Although pregnancy is a normal state, it can cause a burden on the heart. Especially if the woman already has a heart condition or if she experiences complications during pregnancy.
A woman who wants to get pregnant or during her pregnancy visits a Cardiologist for a check-up. She must be sure to know everything about her heart health.
The most common heart diseases that can cause or worsen include:
- High Blood Pressure, which is one of the most common cardiovascular conditions that can develop or worsen during pregnancy.
- Preeclampsia, a severe form of hypertension that can occur during pregnancy, is characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. If left untreated, it can lead to acute heart or kidney failure.
- Preeclampsia, which is a dangerous condition that usually occurs after the 20th week of pregnancy and is characterized by high blood pressure and proteinuria. It can affect the heart, liver, kidneys and brain of the pregnant woman and can cause serious complications for the mother and fetus.
- Congenital Heart Disease, if the pregnant woman already has it, then pregnancy can cause complications, such as heart failure or problems with cardiovascular function.
- Heart failure (Aortic or mitral valve insufficiency). If it already exists, it can get worse due to the increased cardiac load.
- Cardiomyopathy of pregnancy, which usually occurs after the 36th week or within 5 months after delivery. It is a serious and dangerous condition for the mother’s health.
- Blood clots: Pregnancy increases the risk of blood clots forming, which can cause pulmonary embolism or other thromboembolic complications.
- Arrhythmias: Pregnant women have an increased risk of atrial fibrillation and tachycardia.
