Key result
Among normal pregnant women, 37.5% experienced dyspnea and 11.5% experienced palpitation, with both symptoms demonstrating a tendency to increase in frequency toward term.
Cross-Sectional (n=261)
No
Dyspnea and palpitation are common in normal pregnancy and increase towards term, but palpitations are infrequently associated with documented arrhythmias.
Symptoms increase to term with low arrhythmia yield; hypothesis-generating for symptom evaluation, prospective studies needed before practice change.
OBJECTIVES: Dyspnea and palpitation are common features of pregnancy. While several theories have been put forward to explain the etiology of gestational dyspnea and palpitation, there have been few systemic studies of its incidence, severity and time-course in a group of normal women. METHODS: We interviewed postpartum women, within 3 days after delivery, about dyspnea and palpitation. Separately from this interview, we performed 24-hour ECG monitoring for obstetric patients with palpitation before delivery. RESULTS: The subjects interviewed were 261 women, of whom 37.5 percent and 11.5 percent experienced dyspnea and palpitation, respectively. These symptoms had tendency to increase to term. The presence of arrhythmias could be documented in only 22% of patients having 24-hour Holter monitoring. CONCLUSION: Dyspnea and palpitation were common among normal pregnant women and had a tendency to increase to term.
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Choi et al. (2001) conducted a cross-sectional in Normal pregnancy (n=261). Pregnancy was evaluated on Incidence of dyspnea during pregnancy. Among normal pregnant women, 37.5% experienced dyspnea and 11.5% experienced palpitation, with both symptoms demonstrating a tendency to increase in frequency toward term.
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