A successful pregnancy and delivery is possible with a heart condition or disease.
- If you are aware of your condition before you plan on getting pregnant, talk with your cardiologist and healthcare provider about the risks.
- There are higher risks for women with pre-existing conditions of high blood pressure, heart disease when pregnant. Taking care of yourself is very important for you and your baby:
- Go to all prenatal visits to monitor the health of you and your baby.
- Avoid excessive stress and anxiety which can elevate your blood pressure and put excess strain to your heart.
- Monitor weight gain during pregnancy as excessive weight gain can put additional stress on the heart.
- Constant communication with your healthcare team is important for a safe pregnancy and delivery.
- The Northwestern Medicine Heart Disease and Pregnancy Program has a number of specialists to help with all forms of heart disease during pregnancy. The program also provides information on heart disease and pregnancy from preconception evaluation to labor and delivery. Visit Heart Disease and Pregnancy to learn more.