Cardiomyopathy During Pregnancy

Cardiomyopathy is an acquired cardiac disorder that, although rare, accounts for a rising proportion of reported pregnancy-related deaths in the United States. During pregnancy, cardiomyopathy may be divided into 2 groups. The first group is peripartum cardiomyopathy; the second group is stratified according to 3 classically defined pathophysiologic presentations: hypertrophic, dilated, or restrictive. Within this second group, the cardiomyopathy can be either idiopathic or due to a specific identified cause. This disorder poses significant risks of morbidity and/or mortality to the pregnant woman and fetus/neonate. This article describes types of cardiomyopathy during pregnancy, perinatal risks, and general management principles with a focus on intrapartum care. Hemodynamic and oxygen transport data are presented to illustrate interpretation of patient assessment findings and the effects of interventions for abnormal maternal and fetal findings.