HOW IT WORKS 4: ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF PREGNANCY – WHAT’S IN A MATERNAL HEARTBEAT?

Abstract

The risk of cardiovascular disease in pregnancy has increased due to increasing age at first pregnancy and is the major cause of maternal death during pregnancy.1 Good maternal health and wellbeing is key to the best outcomes for both mother and baby. A key message from MBRRACE2 for health professionals is around heart disease. This article focuses on maternal health but as a midwife you also need to have an awareness of how poor maternal health can affect the fetus, baby, child and then ongoing adult health. There are vast amounts of additional reading that you need to do to support your knowledge around the maternal cardiac system and cardiovascular disease.