Health concerns with heart disease
Care of the pregnant woman with heart disease
Medications
Natural therapies
National Heart Foundation support
It is estimated that up to 1% of pregnant women have heart disease or a cardiac disorder. In past generations, rheumatic fever caused most cases of heart disease in women. This often lead to damage of the heart valves in young women before they became pregnant. Rheumatic fever is now less common, especially with the increased use of antibiotics. However, the most common reason for heart disease during pregnancy these days generally involves women who were born with heart defects and who have had operations as children, and are now having their own babies. Babies born to women with a heart defect, have a slightly higher chance of also having a heart defect.
Many women with heart conditions have normal, uncomplicated pregnancies. The pregnancy does not generally affect the woman's long term health, after the baby is born. Severe heart conditions can complicate the pregnancy, and in some cases can be life threatening for the woman and her baby. It is ideal if a
Cardiologist works in partnership with an obstetrician, to care for the woman during her pregnancy.
Any health affects for the woman and her baby will depend on the severity of the heart disease. The New York Heart Association has developed Classifications of severity for Heart Disease. These are as follows: