Controlling your cardiac disease

Controlling your condition is important for your safety and your baby’s.

Important information

Call 999 or go to your nearest Emergency Department (A&E) if you experience any of the following:

  • shortness of breath
  • wheezing
  • fainting or near fainting
  • palpitations (irregular heartbeats or heart racing)
  • chest pain
  • unexplained cough
  • waking up feeling breathless
  • painful leg or calf swelling.

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Attend all your scheduled cardiology clinic appointments after giving birth.

This will enable us to assess the impact of your pregnancy on your cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels) and plan future management.

Future pregnancy

We advise you to use reliable contraception so you can plan your pregnancy for a time when your cardiac condition is under control.

For all women with known or suspected congenital (present from birth) or acquired cardiovascular and aortic disease, we recommend pre-pregnancy risk assessment and counselling.

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Tell your GP or cardiac specialist team if you are planning to have another baby. Do this before you become pregnant.

Your GP can advise you to ensure any medicines you currently use are safe for you to take during pregnancy.

If you become pregnant, speak to your GP before you stop taking any of your medicines.

More information

For information on pregnancy and your heart, visit the British Heart Foundation

Contact information

Maternity Triage

Telephone:

020 8934 2802