{"id":1130919,"date":"2023-06-23T11:03:48","date_gmt":"2023-06-23T15:03:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nortonhealthcare.com\/?post_type=service&p=1130919"},"modified":"2025-10-31T09:11:03","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T13:11:03","slug":"heart-disease-in-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"service","link":"https:\/\/nortonhealthcare.com\/services-and-conditions\/obstetrics-and-gynecology\/services\/pregnancy\/during-pregnancy\/maternal-fetal-medicine\/heart-disease-in-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Pregnancy and Heart Disease"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Newly Pregnant?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re here for you \u2013 and everything to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Call our Welcome to Pregnancy Connection Line<\/em> to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find a provider \u2022 Schedule your first prenatal visit \u2022
Get pregnancy information<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\t\n\t\t(502) 559-2229 (BABY)\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Heart disease in pregnancy or after delivery can be treated and successfully managed. As you take so much care to give your baby a wonderful new life, be sure to take care of yourself. Most patients have healthy pregnancies and babies. Understanding that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death during pregnancy<\/a> and after pregnancy might encourage more people to prioritize their health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pumping blood through your body and your unborn baby\u2019s puts extra stress on your heart and blood vessels. Any cardiovascular condition you had before can worsen during pregnancy. New conditions also can appear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you didn\u2019t have any heart issues before your pregnancy, heart disease can emerge during pregnancy, while you\u2019re in labor and for up to a year after delivery. High blood pressure, diabetes<\/a> and preeclampsia are some of the most common conditions affecting your heart during pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Her heart was giving out after her 3rd pregnancy \u2014 a long-term solution would have to wait for baby No. 4<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Read Alexis\u2019 Story<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Serious health conditions are becoming more common during pregnancy, especially among women of color. Black women can have up to four times higher risk for conditions related to high blood pressure in pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regular blood pressure checks during pregnancy are a key part of catching any issues before they worsen and cause long-term damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your blood pressure rises, your obstetrician<\/a> may refer you to a maternal-fetal medicine<\/a> specialist and cardiologist who specializes in women\u2019s heart health. Specialists with Norton Children\u2019s Maternal-Fetal Medicine, a part of Norton Women\u2019s Care, will work with your obstetrician and other members of your health care team to create a coordinated plan for your pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum period. The Norton Heart & Vascular Institute Women\u2019s Heart Program was created to focus on key points in a woman\u2019s life \u2014 such as pregnancy \u2014 when heart disease can occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gestational Diabetes and Heart Disease<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gestational diabetes and the associated high glucose (blood sugar) levels double the chances of calcium buildup<\/a> in your arteries. Restoring healthy blood sugar levels after pregnancy won\u2019t reverse the calcification, which is a strong predictor of heart disease such as atherosclerosis \u2014cholesterol buildup in blood vessel walls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

High glucose damages blood vessels<\/a> throughout your body. Over time, organ and circulatory issues can lead to organ failure, heart attack or stroke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heart Attack and Pregnancy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pregnancy-related heart attacks are rare. But they can be particularly dangerous, because a pregnancy-related heart attack can be different from a typical heart attack and strike people who may assume they aren\u2019t at risk for a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A common cause of heart attack during or shortly after pregnancy is spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection heart attacks aren\u2019t caused by plaque buildup from high cholesterol. Rather, they begin with a tear in the layers of an artery\u2019s wall. Blood flows under the tear, often making it larger, and pools there. As the area fills with blood, it expands and can form a clot that blocks blood flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cause of spontaneous coronary artery dissection isn\u2019t clear, but a leading suspect is hormonal changes after delivery that affect the vascular walls. These heart attacks appear to happen more often in the first month after delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have chest pain or think you\u2019re having a heart attack, call 911<\/strong>. Don\u2019t attempt to drive yourself to an emergency room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n