More Pregnant Woman Diagnosed With Heart Problems In Singapore.

Being pregnant is a wonderful news to the vast majority but how does pregnancy leads to heart diseases?

Why does it happen?

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.

What are the risks?

The risks depend on the nature and severity of your heart condition.

For example:

• Heart rhythm issues. Minor abnormalities in heart rhythm are common during pregnancy. They're not usually cause for concern. If you need treatment for an arrhythmia, you'll likely be given medication, the same as you would if you weren't pregnant.

• Heart valve issues. Having an artificial heart valve or scarring or malformation of your heart or valves can increase your risk of complications during pregnancy. If your valves aren't working properly, you might have trouble tolerating the increased blood flow that occurs during pregnancy. In addition, artificial or abnormal valves carry an increased risk of a potentially life-threatening infection of the lining of the heart (endocarditis) and heart valves. Mechanical artificial heart valves also pose serious risks during pregnancy due to the need to adjust use of blood thinners, the potential for life-threatening clotting (thrombosis) of heart valves. Taking blood thinners can also put your developing baby at risk.

• Congestive heart failure. As blood volume increases, congestive heart failure can worsen.

• Congenital heart defect If you were born with a heart problem, your baby has a greater risk of developing some type of heart defect, too. You might also be at risk for heart problems occurring during pregnancy and of premature birth.

What are the signs or symptoms?

Contact your health care provider if you have any signs or symptoms that concern you, particularly:

• Difficulty breathing

• Shortness of breath with exertion or at rest

• Heart palpitations, rapid heart rate or irregular pulse

• Chest pain

• A bloody cough or coughing at night

How can I make sure my baby is OK?

Your health care provider will monitor your baby's development throughout the pregnancy. Routine ultrasound exams can be used to track your baby's growth, and specialized ultrasounds can be used to detect fetal heart abnormalities. Your baby might need monitoring or treatment after delivery as well.

How should I prepare for pregnancy?

Before you try to conceive, schedule an appointment with your cardiologist and the health care provider who'll be handling your pregnancy. You'll likely be referred to an obstetrician who specializes in very high-risk pregnancies (maternal fetal medicine specialist). You might also want to check in with other members of your health care team, such as your family doctor.

Your medical team will evaluate how well you're managing your heart condition and consider treatment changes you might need before you become pregnant.

Certain medications used to treat heart conditions aren't used during pregnancy. Depending on the circumstances, your health care provider might adjust the dosage or make a substitution and explain the risks involved.

We hope that all these information will provide you with the necessary knowledge and brings about awareness.