Even an “average” pregnancy can bring with it numerous questions, from the expectant mother as well as from friends and family. When a pregnancy-related cardiac complication enters the picture, those questions can multiply. The strategies that will make the most sense for your family will depend on the circumstances – for instance, whether cardiac problems emerge mid-pregnancy or a new mom develops heart conditions after childbirth. Whether you have sought and received medical treatment may also be a factor. Heart-related complications are the leading cause of maternal death in the United States, and all too many of these deaths are preventable, yet not prevented. Families grieving the mother a new child will never know may consider filing maternal death lawsuits to recover some measure of compensation for their immense loss. At Erin Marshall Law, we offer family support after malpractice, whether it results in treatable injury or a tragic death. Reach out to our Albuquerque firm at 505-218-9949 to discuss your situation.
Who Is at Risk for Pregnancy-Related Cardiac Complications?
Pregnancy-related cardiac complications can occur in anyone. However, families of pregnant women may want to be aware of a few risk factors that can increase the likelihood of some of the most common cardiac complications during pregnancy, as well as potentially influencing the severity of their outcomes. Some of the risk factors to keep in mind include:
Age of Pregnant Person
Pregnancy-related heart complications can emerge at any age, but generally speaking, the risk of developing cardiac complications during pregnancy increases with the pregnant person’s age. At the same time, the unfortunate truth is that healthcare providers are especially likely to send young women home without diagnosis or treatment after an acute cardiac event, so young expectant mothers may need to prepare to advocate for themselves in medical settings if they suspect heart complications during their pregnancies.
History of Previous Pregnancy-Related Heart Problems
Pregnancy-related cardiac complications can develop in a second, third, or subsequent pregnancy, even if a woman has gone through previous pregnancies without any problems. However, if a woman has experienced any heart complications during a previous pregnancy, or developed heart complications after childbirth, then it is more likely that a new pregnancy may also be affected by heart problems. Recognizing this correlation in advance can help put women and their families “on the alert” to watch for early symptoms and take proactive steps to address any heart complications promptly.
Underlying Conditions and Overall Health
As with any situation that puts stress on the body, pregnancy can be more likely to trigger complications in someone who has pre-existing conditions. Often what may happen is that conditions that were borderline or well-managed without a pregnancy begin to cause problems once the biological processes of pregnancy begin to tax a woman’s body. Examples in this category include obesity, high blood sugar (diabetic or pre-diabetic), and elevated blood pressure (which can increase the risk of developing preeclampsia, a sometimes severe pregnancy-related increase in blood pressure accompanied by numerous other symptoms).
Stage of Pregnancy
Some pregnancy-related heart complications tend to emerge during the later stages of a pregnancy, rather than at the outset. The Cleveland Clinic notes that preeclampsia – a pregnancy-related increase in blood pressure, often accompanied by other issues such as kidney dysfunction – typically appears at or after the midpoint of a pregnancy, and as long as serious complications can be avoided through the baby’s delivery, will usually resolve in the early stages of the postpartum period. Gestational diabetes develops often enough after the 24th week of pregnancy at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends testing for it between the 24th and 28th weeks. More rarely, peripartum cardiomyopathy can affect women in the final stages of pregnancy or the first months after giving birth. Understanding the timeline for heart conditions after birth as well as those in the months leading up to delivery can help you prepare to watch for concerning symptoms.
Race and Ethnicity
A woman’s skin tone and ethnic origins should never be a factor in her medical care, yet according to a 2024 report from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), African American women, and Native women across several categories (Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Alaskan Native, American Indian; categories are drawn from the HHS report) suffer maternal mortality rates more than double, and in some cases more than triple, those of their counterparts of primarily European or Asian descent. These statistics point to the stark reality that many women in minority racial or ethnic groups struggle to access timely, competent medical care.
Access to Healthcare Services
While legal assistance can sometimes help women to secure compensation after a case of medical negligence has resulted in adverse patient outcomes from maternal injury or from heart conditions after childbirth, and even in many cases assist families in recovering compensation if medical negligence leads to a preventable maternal death, most patients and families would agree that family support after malpractice comes in a distant second to ensuring a new or expectant mother receives the standard of care. If you have concerns about healthcare access during or after pregnancy-related heart complications, you may wish to consider speaking with an experienced maternity injury lawyer with Erin Marshall Law to discuss your legal options.
What Steps Can Families Take?
If you are an expectant mother, or if your partner or someone in your family circle is preparing to welcome a child, one of the most important steps you can take is to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of some of the most common pregnancy-related cardiac complications. While it is discouragingly true that women often have to fight harder than men to get proper care for heart conditions, it is also true that the treatment you do not seek is guaranteed not to help.
Distinguishing Between “Normal” Symptoms and Causes for Concern
Some symptoms the Cleveland Clinic offers as potential signs of pregnancy-related cardiac complications you may want to get evaluated by a medical professional include:
- Unusual fatigue
- Frequent urination
- Shortness of breath
- Swelling in and around the feet
Most women who have gone through pregnancy will be familiar with these symptoms, since they are common even in normal pregnancy with no complications. These symptoms may be a cause for concern when:
- They emerge only after the 20th week of pregnancy
- The pregnant person continues to feel shortness of breath even while resting
- The symptoms are severe enough to prevent the pregnant person from carrying out everyday tasks
Any of these factors could be a sign that the condition is more serious than the usual aches and pains that accompany carrying a child to term.
Recognizing Abnormal Symptoms
Some symptoms of cardiac complications fall outside the range of normal pregnancy experiences altogether. Some of these include:
- Chest pain
- Heart palpitations (lasting 30 seconds or longer) or a racing heart rate
- Fainting
- Blurring of the vision
These can be signs of a very serious pregnancy-related cardiac complication and should be evaluated by a medical professional without delay. Particularly if there is any chest pain, call 9-1-1 or seek emergency medical attention right away.
After Treatment
How families should proceed after a pregnancy-related cardiac complications depends to a large extent on the outcome of the complication. If an expectant mother or new mom has experienced a pregnancy-related heart problem, she may need extended time to rest during her recovery. If the heart problems emerge during the later stages of pregnancy, before the baby arrives, doctors may sometimes recommend delivering the baby early in an attempt to reduce strain on the mother’s body. In these cases, families can help with maternity care by stepping up to take over household chores and shoulder some of the responsibility for taking care of the new baby.
If the outcomes are worsened by possible medical negligence, then it may be a good idea to seek legal advice for your family’s next steps. In the most tragic situations, when a pregnancy-related cardiac complication results in a preventable death, families may wish to consider maternal death lawsuits.
Speak With an Experienced Maternal Care Lawyer
Bringing new life into the world should be a joyous occasion. Unfortunately, in some situations this joy is marred by pregnancy-related cardiac complications that can sap a woman’s energy and, in the worst scenarios, even take her life. One of the most frustrating aspects of reviewing heart conditions after childbirth is that those involved often feel that the outcomes they are facing could have been prevented with appropriate medical care. The experienced legal professionals at Erin Marshall law offer robust family support after malpractice injuries, including for the truly tragic situations that result in maternal death lawsuits. To schedule a conversation with a member of our compassionate and knowledgeable team, call our Albuquerque office at 505-218-9949 today.
