Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular

This is a descriptive category rather than a single disease with one cause. The grounding supports cardiovascular disease occurring in the setting of pregnancy, including hypertensive disorders, hypercholesterolemia, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathies, arrhythmias, valvular disease, thromboembolic disease, aortic disease, and cerebrovascular diseases.

The literature grounding is limited, but it identifies stroke volume as a relevant mechanism and frames the condition around cardiovascular disease during pregnancy. The physiologic issue is the interaction between pregnancy and underlying or concurrent cardiovascular pathology, which can contribute to maternal morbidity and mortality.

Advancing maternal age and preexisting comorbid conditions are identified as contributors to increased maternal mortality in this setting. Preexisting cardiac conditions and a history of preeclampsia are specifically noted as reasons for preconception counseling and early multidisciplinary involvement.

Management is described at the level of multidisciplinary cardio-obstetrics care. The grounding supports preconception counseling and early involvement of a cardio-obstetrics team for women with preexistent cardiac conditions or a history of preeclampsia, with treatment focused on the underlying cardiovascular condition during pregnancy.