Heart palpitations during pregnancy can be caused by an increase in blood volume, hormones, stress, or heart conditions. While they are not necessarily a sign of illness, it is advisable to seek medical evaluation. Palpitations may be accompanied by shortness of breath, nausea, sweating, and fainting. Patients with existing heart problems who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant should discuss the situation with their doctors.
Palpitations in pregnancy can be caused by an increase in blood volume and strain on the heart, hormones, stress or heart conditions. They are not uncommon and do not necessarily indicate a sign of illness, but it is advisable to get a medical evaluation to check for potential problems. A doctor can look for possible serious causes to determine if the palpitations are benign and may have some recommendations for reducing their intensity and frequency. If patients experience heart palpitations accompanied by shortness of breath, nausea, sweating, and fainting, they should see a doctor immediately.
During pregnancy, women produce more blood and the heart has to work harder to circulate it through the body. This can cause heart palpitations, where the heartbeat feels momentarily stronger or it can flutter in the chest. These may also explain blood pressure changes and dizziness in pregnancy. Patients who notice heart palpitations can take note of the circumstances; for example, they could occur after getting up from a sitting position to a standing position, indicating that the heart had to start working harder to get blood to the legs.
Another potential cause is hormones, especially progesterone. Hormonal swings occur during pregnancy and can sometimes cause heart palpitations. Stress can also play a role, as women can be emotionally strained by pregnancy and childbirth preparations. These things are normal, but the physiological results can be alarming or unexpected. People with no history of heart problems who develop heart palpitations in pregnancy often have a benign cause such as stress, hormones, or circulatory system changes.
More seriously, heart palpitations in pregnancy can be caused by an underlying heart problem. This may not have been apparent prior to pregnancy when increased strain on the heart would have made it more apparent. Patients who develop arrhythmias or palpitations in pregnancy and experience symptoms such as sweating and dizziness may need to be evaluated by a cardiologist. The doctor may perform some tests to find out more about the cause of the palpitations in pregnancy to determine if the patient needs medical intervention.
People with existing heart problems who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant may wish to discuss the situation with their doctors. Such patients can carry pregnancies successfully but may need to take extra care to protect themselves and their fetuses. It’s also important to be aware that some medications used to manage heart problems can be dangerous to a developing fetus, which may make it necessary to consider alternatives for the duration of the pregnancy.
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