Peripartum Cardiomyopathy

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is a relatively uncommon form of heart failure affecting women in their reproductive years. It is usually defined as cardiomyopathy first presenting in the last month of pregnancy or the first six months post partum.1 Additional criteria include the absence of other identifiable causes of heart failure and the absence of other prior heart disease.1 Although heart failure occurring in the puerperium was recognized in the 19th century,2 more complete descriptions were not published until the 1930s.3 , 4 The incidence of postpartum cardiomyopathy probably varies in different geographical areas; estimates of 1 in 1300 to 1 in 4000 deliveries . . .