Women with peripartum cardiomyopathy urged caution in future pregnancies
UCI Health expert cites study’s findings as important for those who have recovered their function
July 18, 2023
IN THE NEWS: A new study suggests that women with peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) are at risk for a relapse if they become pregnant again, even if their left ventricular (LV) function recovers.
Dr. Afshan Hameed, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist and cardiologist at UCI Health, spoke to Medscape about the study, with which she was not involved. She cites the findings as important for women who have had PPCM and are contemplating pregnancy.
“[The investigators suggest that] complete recovery of cardiac function after PPCM does not guarantee a favorable outcome in future pregnancy. “[Future pregnancies must therefore] be highly discouraged or considered with caution even in patients who have recovered their cardiac function."
Hameed’s clinical interests include anticoagulation in pregnancy, critical care in obstetrics, fetal echocardiography, heart disease in pregnancy, heart disease in women, medical disorders in pregnancy, high-risk pregnancy, maternal-fetal medicine.
She is a nationally recognized expert who co-authored the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists inter-conception care guidelines for women with hypertension to improve postpartum care and follow up. Hameed serves on the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC) Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review Advisory Committee (PAMR), which reviews all cases of maternal mortality to identify gaps in care for quality improvement opportunities.
To make an appointment with UCI Health High-Risk Pregnancy Services, call 714-456-2911.
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