Cardiac Disease In Pregnancy

Cardiac disease of pregnancy encompasses a broad arena of pathologies. Many cardiac diseases during pregnancy are under investigation, and many others which are still not understood require further inquiry. Some of these diseases may be exacerbations of pre-existing conditions that the pregnant woman may already have, or they may develop a new disease process that presents because of the complex hormonal changes and physiology of pregnancy. Pre-existing conditions which can predispose the pregnant woman to cardiovascular disease include hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and congenital heart disease.[1] Regardless, cardiac disease of pregnancy is a significant cause of or morbidity and mortality and has been cited to be present between 1-4% of all pregnancies.[2] Although there is a significant risk involved with such pregnancies, one can successfully treat the majority of these incidents if early detection and careful follow-up are a part of routine care.