Articles
Heart conditions and pregnancy: Know the risks
Content
How does pregnancy affect the heart?
What are the risks?
Do some heart conditions cause more complications than others do?
What about medication?
How should I prepare for pregnancy?
What can I expect during prenatal visits?
How can I make sure my baby is OK?
How can I prevent complications?
What signs or symptoms should I report to my health care provider?
What about labor and delivery?
Will I be able to breast-feed my baby?
Do some heart conditions cause more complications than others do?
Certain heart conditions, especially narrowing of the mitral valve or aortic valve, can pose life-threatening risks for mother or baby. Depending on the circumstances, some heart conditions require major treatments — such as heart surgery — before you try to conceive.
Pregnancy isn't recommended for women who have the rare congenital condition Eisenmenger's syndrome or high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart (pulmonary hypertension).
