“I never heard a word spoken about heart disease in pregnancy.”
That’s exactly what happened to a 28-year-old woman named Emily Naegle (@eminaegle).
I never heard a word spoken about heart disease in pregnancy."
They recommended I see a cardiologist sometime in the next few months."
“I ended up having a C-section, and everything was seemingly normal.
When I was getting ready to leave the hospital to go home, I collapsed.
Doctors did an EKG, and it was abnormal.
They then did an echocardiogram and found my heart to be enlarged and weakened.
My echocardiogram showed my heart was enlarged with an EF [ejection fraction] of 35%.
Normal is 55% or higher,” she continued.
It was then that Emily was diagnosed with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM).
She didn’t have any prior heart-related issues, nor did she have any family history of it.
PPCM is often tricky to diagnose.
Nicole Harkin, MD, FACC, told BuzzFeed.
Emily said getting this diagnosis was emotional.
The contrast of the two events was a lot and led to a wide range ofemotions."
“We dont fully understand why PPCM occurs, so there is no way to prevent it.
“I was put on a number of different medications, too.
Overall I am doing well and just grateful to be alive,” Emily added.
“I cannot overemphasize the importance of discussing the risk of subsequent pregnancies with their cardiologist.
As always, you know your body best.
If anything feels off, always consult with a doctor andadvocate for yourself.
