Reproductive Health for People with Heart Defects

Key points

  • If you're living with a heart defect, you face unique reproductive heath issues.
  • You may need specialized medical care to manage your reproductive and heart health.
Doctor taking pregnant woman's blood pressure

Overview

The reproductive system is a delicate and complex system in the body. In addition, pregnancy can put extra stress on the heart as it pumps blood to the pregnant person and the baby.

If you're living with a heart defect, you face unique reproductive health issues. You may have questions about birth control and pregnancy and how these effect your heart. Throughout your life, you may need specialized medical care to manage your reproductive and heart health.

Birth control

Limited information is available on the risks of specific birth control methods for people living with heart defects. People with certain heart defects who are at increased risk of blood clots may be advised to avoid estrogen-containing contraceptive methods (i.e., combined birth control pills, patch, ring).

Your healthcare provider can help you decide which type of birth control may be best for you.

Preconception health

Preconception health care is medical care before a person becomes pregnant that focuses on increasing the chance of having a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. For people with heart defects, preconception health care may include

  • assessing overall heart health,
  • determining if any procedures are needed before pregnancy, and
  • discussing the safety of procedures or medications.

Based on your individual health, your doctor or healthcare provider will suggest a course of treatment or follow-up care as needed. If you are considering having a baby, talk to your healthcare providers about how to prepare for pregnancy. You should discuss all medicines you take, including prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, herbal and dietary supplements, and vitamins.

1 in 5‎

Researchers have found that more than 1 in 5 people with a heart defect who became pregnant had not received any of the American Heart Association's recommended preconception health care in the year before conception.

Pregnancy

Many people with heart defects become pregnant. Preparing for pregnancy and following up regularly with your cardiologist (or heart doctor) can help you safely become pregnant and have a healthy baby.

Some people may need to have procedures done for their heart condition before becoming pregnant or take certain medications to help their heart during pregnancy. If you have a heart defect or a family history of heart defects, talking with a genetic counselor could be helpful.

A pregnant woman is talking to her doctor, who is holding an ultrasound image.
Pregnant woman talks to her doctor about her heart defect

Possible pregnancy-related issues

People with heart defects may have a higher risk for some pregnancy-related issues, compared with people without heart defects. Examples include:

  • Anemia (not enough red blood cells to deliver oxygen rich blood to the body)
  • Hemorrhage (loss of blood)
  • High blood pressure

Pregnant people with heart defects had more documented health issues, compared with non-pregnant people with heart defects. Examples include:

  • Diabetes
  • Infectious diseases
  • Mental health issues

Researchers have also found that people with heart defects were more likely to deliver their baby too early (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) compared with people without heart defects. Although rare, people with heart defects may also be more likely to experience stillbirth than people without heart defects.

With appropriate medical care and treatment, many people with heart defects can have a healthy and uneventful pregnancy. If you are considering becoming pregnant, talk with your healthcare provider beforehand to discuss how pregnancy might affect you.

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Content Source:
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD)