Obstetric Delivery & Heart Failure

Most soon-to-be mothers eagerly await the birth of their children, but for women with heart disease, the joy and anticipation might feel bittersweet when faced with the risk of heart failure.

Preexisting Problems

• The risk of heart failure during obstetric delivery exists primarily for women with preexisting cardiac disease. About 1 to 4 percent of women with heart problems suffer from complications, according to the Women's Health and Education Center, and this remains the third-highest cause of death for women 25 to 44, as of 2010.

Physiological Changes

• Blood volume, heart rate, cardiac output, blood pressure, stroke volume and systemic vascular resistance increase during labor and delivery. Most women can handle the increased strain on the heart that all this causes, but those with preexisting conditions sometimes have difficulty.

Risk Levels

• Many women with cardiac disease receive diagnosis and treatment before pregnancy. Women with Class I heart disease typically have uncompromised pregnancies, as do many with Class II. Women with Class III and Class IV disease face much higher risks.

Treatment Options

• Women with heart disease often receive pre-conception counseling to determine whether pregnancy poses a mortality risk. Women with cardiac disease sometimes are treated with medication during pregnancy, depending on whether the necessary drug has been proven safe for use during pregnancy.