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?
How does pregnancy affect the heart?
Pregnancy stresses your heart and circulatory system. During pregnancy, your blood volume increases by 30 to 50 percent to nourish your growing baby, your heart pumps more blood each minute and your heart rate increases.
Labor and delivery add to your heart's workload, too. During labor — particularly when you push — you'll have abrupt changes in blood flow and pressure. It takes several weeks after delivery for the stresses on the heart to return to the levels they were before you became pregnant.
