Below is a video from the UPMC discussing why it is important to know the signs of heart failure in pregnancy.
PPCM is a diagnosis of exclusion and it affects from 1 in 3,000 to 1 in 4,000 women in the US.
Doctors should consider the possiblity of PPCM, if a women reports symptoms of fatigue or shortness of breath.
Other symptoms can include:
- Difficulty breathing while lying flat
- Cough
- Shortness of breath on exertion
- Swelling (edema) above and below the knee
- Palpitations – awareness of heart beating
- Pink sputum
A woman may initially exert one or all of these symptoms, and many will have their symptoms dismissed as normal signs of pregnancy
HEART FAILURE SCREENING TOOL
Heart failure Screen tool This link will lead you to the heart failure screening tool that is on the homepage. You will need to click on the link and the tool will open in a new window. You will be asked a set of questions and given a score at the end of the quiz. The tool is provided for information purposes only.
About Myheartsisters.com
Myheartsisters.com has been developed to raise awareness about heart failure in pregnancy (PPCM) and provide support for heart sisters through storytelling and friendship. How to Join - Join as a heart sister, cardiologist or relative of a deceased heart sister and add yourself to a map and directory listing.
Read PPCM Stories from heart sisters, learn more About PPCM or read about PPCM Recovery
