September 24, 2018

Pregnant? Why Your Heart (Not Just Baby) Needs Your Attention, Too

Protect yourself against the leading cause of death for moms-to-be

Closeup of person's seated torso with hands holding a pregnant belly

Pregnancy puts an extra strain on the cardiovascular system, just as it does other parts of the body. The amount of blood in the body, for example, rises as much as 50 percent by the third trimester of pregnancy. The heart, then, must work harder to pump more blood. It’s also normal for heart rate to increase during pregnancy.

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

While most women can tolerate pregnancy without any difficulties, the added demands placed on the heart can be overwhelming for some, particularly those with existing cardiac problems or those at greater risk for developing cardiovascular disease.

A concerning trend is that heart disease has become the No. 1 cause of death during pregnancy in the U.S. today. One example of this is heart attacks before, during and after delivery. Although they’re still relatively rare, they are on the rise, with a recent study reporting a 25 percent increase between 2002 and 2013.

Jeff Chapa, MD, a maternal-fetal medicine (high-risk pregnancy) specialist who is part of a special program at Cleveland Clinic for women with heart disease who are pregnant or considering pregnancy, says the increase in heart-related complications is likely due to a few major factors:

There’s better care for women with heart disease today. That means better survival rates and quality of life. “For example, for women who are born with heart defects, we’re able to fix those surgically and manage them medically pretty well, so those women are reaching child-bearing age, enjoying a better quality of life and getting pregnant,” Dr. Chapa explains.

Advertisement

Women are getting pregnant later. The average age of first-time mothers in the U.S. has risen over the last several decades, according to CDC data. With age comes a higher risk of heart disease and heart attack.

The obesity epidemic. In the U.S., the obesity rate for adults has risen more than 9 percentage points since 2000. Obesity and related conditions like diabetes and hypertension are risk factors for heart disease.

Take action

Being attentive to heart health during pregnancy is key, as early detection of problems can help doctors manage them and prevent complications down the road. But, cardiovascular disease can be particularly tough to diagnose during pregnancy, because many common symptoms of heart disease and heart attack are things that women experience during pregnancy anyway.

For example, shortness of breath, palpitations, heartburn and swelling are all common complaints during a normal pregnancy. But Dr. Chapa notes that if these symptoms continue to worsen and begin to affect everyday activities, it is best for women to notify their doctor.

Advertisement

The best thing women can do to minimize their risk, he says, is to optimize their health before getting pregnant. For overweight women, that might mean losing weight. For women with pre-existing heart disease or hypertension, it means getting their underlying condition under good control prior to pregnancy.

“The other thing that can help, especially for patients with significant heart disease, is a preconception evaluation to go over the risks related to pregnancy and what can be done to keep both mother and baby safe,” he says. Sometimes this involves seeing both a cardiologist and a maternal-fetal medicine specialist.

Learn more about our editorial process.

Related Articles

Happy pregnant woman with hands around her belly, with belly button pushing out
March 27, 2024
Why Your Belly Button Changes When You’re Pregnant

When a growing fetus puts pressure on your abdomen, your belly button may pop out or even flatten

Older couple talk while leisurely walk across a bridge
February 29, 2024
Can You Exercise After a Heart Attack?

Absolutely! In fact, in many ways, exercise is key to recovery

Person having a heart attack in background, close up of hand calling 911 on cell phone in foreground
February 28, 2024
Can You Stop a Heart Attack Once It Starts?

There’s no way to stop it once a heart attack is happening, but the most important thing you can do is to call for help

Person enjoying container of assorted fruit
February 28, 2024
How To Protect Your Heart When You Have Prediabetes

You can counter the risk of prediabetes-related heart attack or stroke by eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as well as exercising regularly

Blood pressure cuff on arm and blood pressure-reading device
February 27, 2024
Here’s What Your Blood Pressure Numbers Mean

An ideal blood pressure is less than 120 mm Hg systolic and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic

person holding hands to upper chest
January 26, 2024
How To Tell the Difference Between a Heart Attack and a Panic Attack

To help determine what you’re experiencing, focus on how the pain feels, the location of the pain, when it started and how long it lasts

pregnant mother with father on couch with son
January 25, 2024
Baby on the Way? Here’s How To Prepare Siblings for Their Arrival

Talk with them about their new sibling early and often

close up of bottle of pills spilling onto table
January 24, 2024
Take Your Cholesterol Meds: Stopping Statins Can Cause Dangerous Side Effects

Stopping this critical medication on your own increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and more

Trending Topics

Person in yellow tshirt and blue jeans relaxing on green couch in living room reading texts on their phone.
Here’s How Many Calories You Naturally Burn in a Day

Your metabolism may torch 1,300 to 2,000 calories daily with no activity

person getting a sinus massage between brows
5 Sinus Massage Techniques To Relieve Pressure and Promote Drainage

A gentle touch in all the right places may help drain your sinuses

woman snacking on raisins and nuts
52 Foods High In Iron

Pump up your iron intake with foods like tuna, tofu and turkey

Ad