Getting good care before, during and after pregnancy remains crucially vital. It can help babies completely grow and develop. However, cardiac disease in the pregnant patients can present challenges in cardiovascular and maternal-fetal management. Pregnant patients diagnosed with heart disease might develop aggravating symptoms during pregnancy which is induced by related conditions that overwork the heart, resulting in greater chances of heart failure. Health check-up before pregnancy is extremely important. It greatly helps to identify possible risks and early detect abnormalities prior to being pregnant. Treatment plan can be given appropriately, resulting in healthy lives of both mothers and babies.
Heart conditions that are usually diagnosed during pregnancy
Abnormal heart conditions during pregnancy might include:
Heart disease in pregnant women
Warning signs and symptoms that might potentially indicate heart disease in pregnant women include swelling legs, high blood pressure, chest pain (angina), shortness of breath or breathing difficulty and irregular heartbeat. If these symptoms exhibit, it is highly recommended to:
Additional suggestions that must be strictly followed include:
Complications of heart disease in mother-to-be
Compared to non-pregnant women, pregnant women with heart disease do remain at greater risks for serious complications including heart failure that might lead to death of both mothers and babies. Regular health check-up and heart screening before pregnancy are crucially needed since it greatly helps to early detect the abnormalities before pregnancy. Accurate and timely diagnosis leads to appropriate and effective treatment plans, resulting in healthy lives of both mother and babies.
Reference:
Dr. Rapin Kukreja
Cardiologist, Bangkok Heart Hospital.