[Cardiovascular problems during pregnancy]

Extensive changes occur in cardiovascular haemodynamics during pregnancy. These adaptations are usually well tolerated by healthy women. On the other hand, for a pregnant woman with heart disease, these changes can sometimes be fateful. For doctors, it is important to understand haemodynamic changes that occur during pregnancy. Patients at higher risk need to be managed within a specialised cardiac centre. In a previously healthy woman with cardiac symptoms during pregnancy, a basic clinical investigation is warranted. If clinical findings indicate heart disease, a thorough cardiological investigation with echocardiography is advisable.