When you have heart disease, you will have to take special care for your pregnancy. Pregnancy creates stress on the circulatory system and the heart. During your pregnancy due to the nourishment of your growing infant the blood volume in your body increases. As a result of this, your heart rate becomes faster. Your heart starts to pump more amount of blood. Labor and the procedure of delivery include additional workload on your heart.
The risk for your heart condition
The severity and nature of heart condition involve the risk during your pregnancy. The heart medication pregnancy can be the risk factor. Some of the heart diseases which include lower and higher risks are:
Heart diseases with lower risk to mother: Some heart diseases which are lower risk factors during your pregnancy.
- Defects in atrial septum: The presence of a hole on septum which separates the two upper chambers of your heart is called defective atrial septum.
- Defects in ventricular septum: The presence of a hole on septum which separates the two lower chambers of your heart is known as the defective ventricular septum.
- Tricuspid disease: The flaps which are present between the right auricle and right ventricle of your heart become narrow.
- Correction of tetralogy: The presence of a hole between the two ventricles of your heart creates obstructions between the lungs and right ventricle. The right ventricle tissues become thickened and this condition can be corrected by the surgery.
- Mitral stenosis: The valve between the left auricle and left ventricle become narrow moderately.
- Bioprosthetic valve: The replacement of the defective valve using an artificial valve within your heart.
Heart diseases with risk to mother with 5-15%: Some heart issues which are higher risk factors during your pregnancy.
- Mitral stenosis: The valve, which is present between left auricle and left ventricle, becomes seriously narrower.
- Aortic stenosis: The valve which is present between the left ventricle and aorta becomes narrow.
- Marfan syndrome: The condition refers to when your heart, lungs, eyes, skeleton, and blood vessels are affected due to the disorder of connective tissues.
- Previous heart attack
- Uncorrected tetralogy of Fallot before your pregnancy
Heart diseases with risk to mother with 25-50%: Some heart issues which are related to the greatest risk factors.
- Aortic coarctation including the valve
- Due to high blood pressure within the arteries which carry the blood from your heart to lungs
- Marfan syndrome involving the valve
Essential treatment for your diseases during the pregnancy period
Pregnant women with heart issues need specialized treatment involving specific drugs. The pregnancy and heart medication is different for each pregnant woman. Anticoagulant like heparin is required for the women who have had a replacement of the valve. Warfarin, a type of anticoagulant, can be used as a teratogen. Due to mitral stenosis, the pregnant woman may need the drug like beta-blocker to reduce the heart rate due to anxiety and activity. Women with a previous heart attack can use array drugs like calcium and nitrate blockers or beta-blockers. Women with heart issues involving less risk factor may be safe. Special attention can improve these problems.