women s health issues
Heart Disease During Pregnancy
Peripartum cardiomyopathy
The heart’s walls (myocardium) may be damaged (called Overview of Cardiomyopathy ) late in pregnancy or after delivery. This time frame is called the peripartum period, and thus, this disorder is called peripartum cardiomyopathy. The cause is unknown. The following factors increase the risk of peripartum cardiomyopathy: Several prior pregnancies 30 years of age or older Carrying more than one fetus Preeclampsia and Eclampsia (a type of high blood pressure that occurs during pregnancy). Peripartum cardiomyopathy tends to occur in subsequent pregnancies, particularly if heart function has not returned to normal. Thus, women who have had this disorder are often discouraged from becoming pregnant again. Treatment of peripartum cardiomyopathy is similar to Treatment , except that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and aldosterone antagonists ( 