Heart Healthy throughout Pregnancy: What You Need to Know

February is American Heart Month—a great time to talk about how you can keep your heart healthy during your pregnancy.

The term “cardiovascular” is used describe your heart and blood vessels, which work together to help your body function. Cardiovascular issues are a leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths. In the US, cardiovascular issues cause more than one-third pregnancy-related deaths (American Heart Association [AHA] 2025). And, Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related cardiovascular issues than White women. The good news is that many cardiovascular issues can be prevented or managed. This is why it’s important to understand if you are at risk and get screened, know the warning signs, and access care quickly, if needed.

Understanding Pregnancy and Heart Health

When you’re pregnant, your body—including your cardiovascular system (your heart and blood vessels)—goes through a lot of changes. For example, the amount of blood in your body increases and your heart has to work harder to pump the extra blood, so your heart rate increases and your blood pressure decreases. These are normal, necessary changes, but they can also create heart conditions or worsen heart issues that you may already have.

Identifying Risk Factors

While cardiovascular conditions can affect anyone, some people are more at risk. According to ACOG and the AHA, you may be at higher risk if you:

• Are 40 years old or older

• Have diabetes

• Have high blood pressure (hypertension)

• Have high cholesterol

• Have a cardiovascular condition (already)

• Have a family history of cardiovascular disease

• Were overweight or obese before you got pregnant

Your ethnicity and where you live can also increase your risk. In the US, Black women are more likely to die from heart problems than White women, because they are more likely to be stressed on a daily basis, more likely to have trouble getting medical care, and more likely to be treated unfairly by healthcare providers and health systems. Women in rural areas are also more likely to die from heart problems during pregnancy than those in urban areas.

Watching for Warning Signs

A lot of times, the symptoms of a heart issue are the same as the symptoms of a healthy pregnancy—which makes it difficult to know if something is wrong. Call your healthcare provider right away for any of the following:

• You have chest pain

• You feel dizzy or faint

• You feel really tired or weak all the time

• You have heart palpitations (your heart feels like its pounding, racing, or skipping)

• You have trouble breathing (you’re out of breath even when you’re resting)

• You start swelling suddenly, especially in your face, hands, or legs

Screening and Testing

Because heart issues are so common and can be so serious, experts now recommend all pregnant patients get screened, but this doesn’t always happen. If you are at high-risk, getting tested is especially important. Talk to your healthcare provider about your risk level and about options for screening and testing.

Understanding the Dangers of Untreated Cardiovascular Issues

When they’re not treated, cardiovascular conditions can lead to serious and even fatal health complications, such as heart attack, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lungs), stroke, and death. People with cardiovascular disease in pregnancy also have a higher risk of:

• Developing high blood pressure or preeclampsia

• Developing gestational diabetes

• Developing a placental abruption

• Going into preterm labor and having a preterm birth

• Having a low-birth-weight baby

Having any of these issues may cause you to need to stay in the hospital longer, and babies born with these issues often require extra support through a NICU.

Examining An Example of Heart Problems in Pregnancy

Ella Was Dizzy and Had Heart Palpitations

Case: Ella started experiencing heart palpitations when she was 26 weeks pregnant. She used her smart watch to track heart rate and blood pressure and shared the information with her obstetrician at her 28-week checkup. Her obstetrician referred her to a cardiologist, who diagnosed Ella with an arrhythmia, a condition that causes her heart to beat too fast. The cardiologist worked with her obstetrician to develop a care plan.

Lesson: Regularly tracking your vitals and symptoms can help you identify and explain health problems to your doctor, who can then engage specialists (such as cardiologists) to ensure you get the care you need to keep you and your baby healthy.

Preventing Problems and Managing Cardiovascular Conditions

You cannot always prevent a heart problem from happening, but you can lower your risk. Here are some tips:

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet

• Get regular exercise (like walking, swimming, or yoga) for at least 150 minutes every week

• Avoid alcohol and stop smoking

• Go to all your antenatal checkups

• Talk to your doctor if you have any of the risk factors listed in this blog so you can access additional testing

If you already have a heart condition, your healthcare provider can help you manage it and prevent it from causing more health issues for you and your baby.

Using Digital Health Technology to Monitor Your Health at Home

Regularly monitoring your health at home can help you identify a cardiovascular issue early so you can seek care to prevent it from becoming serious. Digital monitoring tools, like BobiHealth, help you track your breathing rate, blood pressure, and heart rate as well as symptoms like fatigue or chest pain that may be signs of a cardiovascular condition. The app reminds you to track regularly, integrates with wearables, and uses this information to spot patterns and alert you when you might need to contact your healthcare provider. Digital monitoring tools do not replace the need for professional medical care—use BobiHealth in addition to, not instead of, your regularly scheduled antenatal appointments.

Take Care of Yourself and Your Baby

Cardiovascular conditions are the most common causes of pregnancy-related deaths. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help, but it doesn’t replace the need for screening and testing. The sooner you identify an issue, the better care your healthcare provider can offer. Download the BobiHealth app now to start tracking your symptoms. A healthier tomorrow can be possible when you start caring for your health today.

Useful Terms

Cardiovascular: refers to the heart (cardio) and blood vessels (vascular); the system that moves oxygen and nutrients around your body. Diabetes, gestational diabetes: occurs when your body does not process sugar the right way; when it happens during pregnancy it is called gestational diabetes. Heart palpitations: when it feels like your heart is pounding, racing, or skipping beats. High blood pressure, hypertension: happens when your blood pushes too hard against the walls of your blood vessels. Low birth weight: babies born weighing less than 5 pounds, 8 ounces (2.5 kg). NICUs: special areas in a hospital or birthing center that provide extra care for newborns with serious health conditions. Hemorrhage: when a person bleeds extremely heavily. Placenta abruption: occurs when the placenta detaches from the wall of the womb. Preeclampsia: happens when your blood pressure is too high and can lead to dangerous complications. Preterm birth/labor: a birth or labor that takes place before the 37th week of pregnancy.