Pregnancy places extra demands on the body, and one of the most important systems affected is the cardiovascular system. Understanding the key facts about heart health during pregnancy can help you recognize changes that are normal, identify symptoms that may need medical attention, and support a healthier pregnancy overall.

At Riverwalk OB-GYN in San Antonio, TX, we believe education and preventive care are essential throughout every stage of pregnancy.

Facts About Heart Health During Pregnancy

Bringing a new baby into the world is a major and meaningful life event. While preparing to grow your family can be exciting, pregnancy also places significant demands on the body, especially the heart.

During pregnancy, blood volume increases substantially to support both parent and baby. Plus, heart rate typically rises by 10 to 20 beats per minute. These cardiovascular changes can place added strain on the heart, potentially worsening existing heart conditions or revealing previously undiagnosed concerns.

Scheduling a preconception visit with your healthcare provider can provide facts about heart health during pregnancy. This appointment is an opportunity to review potential cardiovascular risk factors. For example, diabetes, obesity, or high cholesterol, and create a personalized care plan before pregnancy begins.

If you already have a heart condition and are considering pregnancy, it’s important to speak with your cardiologist. They can provide instructions about how to safely manage your heart health throughout pregnancy. With in mind, here are four important facts every expecting parent should know about protecting heart health during pregnancy.

1. Schedule a Pre-Pregnancy Health Visit

Maternal mortality rates have increased over the past two decades, with cardiovascular complications remaining one of the leading contributors to pregnancy-related deaths. Between 2018 and 2022, pregnancy-related mortality rates rose significantly, highlighting the importance of proactive heart care before and during pregnancy.

For individuals with existing heart conditions, meeting with a cardiologist before becoming pregnant can play an important role in reducing potential risks and supporting a healthier pregnancy.

Preconception cardiovascular care allows patients and providers to review medications, adjust dosages if needed, and confirm that treatments are safe for pregnancy. It can also include diagnostic testing or imaging to evaluate heart health and help prepare the body for the added cardiovascular demands of pregnancy.

When the time comes, Riverwalk OB-GYN care teams work together to support heart, pregnancy, and postpartum care for patients. This multidisciplinary approach combines cardiologists, high-risk obstetricians, and anesthesiologists to create a strong network of support for the best possible pregnancy.

2. Support Heart Health During Pregnancy

It’s no accident having a heart-healthy pregnancy. In fact, there are essential steps women should take to build a healthier heart. This includes eating a healthy diet of whole foods, avoiding smoking, drugs, and alcohol drinking, and maintaining a doctor-approved exercise routine.

In addition, it’s important to take care of mental health during pregnancy. Studies have linked some mental health conditions like depression to a higher likelihood of pregnancy complications. These complications include high blood pressure, hemorrhage, preeclampsia, and preterm labor or birth.

Those complications, along with others such as gestational diabetes, can have long-term effects on your Cardiovascular system. In these cases, the risk of developing heart disease increases later in life.

3. Beware of Cardiac Stress

Pay attention to signs of cardiac stress because the heart naturally works overtime during pregnancy. Some normal prenatal symptoms such as heart palpitations, mild shortness of breath, swelling in the legs or feet, and fatigue, might be cardiac warning signs.

However, some symptoms are never considered normal during pregnancy. For example, not being able to breathe while lying down, fainting, feeling dizzy, or chest pain. In these cases, see your doctor immediately if you experience those symptoms.

4. Monitor Your Heart, Even After Baby Arrives

While all of these facts about heart health during pregnancy are important, maintenance after the baby arrive is equally important. As such, the months after delivering a baby, called the postpartum period, is an important time of recovery. So visit your obstetrician six weeks after deliver to ensure your body is healing.

In the meantime, be vigilant about monitoring your blood pressure, especially if it was abnormal after your baby was born. If you experience look pressure spikes, visit your doctor right away to rule out postpartum preeclampsia. While this condition is rare, it’s also a serious.

Personalized Prenatal Care at Riverwalk OB-GYN

At Riverwalk OB-GYN in San Antonio, TX, we are committed to supporting your health before, during, and after pregnancy. Our experienced team provides compassionate prenatal care focused on both maternal wellness and healthy pregnancy outcomes.

If you want to know more facts about heart health during pregnancy, we’re here to answer your questions, and guid you through every step of your journey.

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