Vol. 7, Issue 1, Part A (2025)

Cardiovascular disease continues to be a major cause of maternal illness and death throughout the world and is therefore a major issue in obstetric care. Pregnancy causes significant changes in the cardiovascular system and hormonal balance which can worsen the condition of pre-existing heart diseases or reveal new heart diseases. Furthermore, there are some cardiovascular diseases that occur only in pregnant women, including preeclampsia, peripartum cardiomyopathy and thromboembolic diseases in pregnancy. Thus, the diagnosis, risk assessment and treatment plan are important for the improvement of the health of pregnant women and their babies.

The purpose of this review is to present a detailed and current picture of the cardiovascular diseases that occur in pregnant women. It describes normal physiological changes in the cardiovascular system during pregnancy, effects of pre-existing heart disease and other pregnancy-related disorders. It also reviews the current risk assessment tools like modified WHO classification, CARPREG, ZAHARA scores, biomarkers and imaging in early detection.

A significant part of the review is the role of cardio-obstetrics as a multidisciplinary field of practice that requires the collaboration of cardiologists, obstetricians, and other specialists. The management of the disease process including pharmacotherapy, delivery planning, and postpartum care is discussed in detail. Also, the review also discussed on preventive measures such as preconception counseling, lifestyle modifications, and appropriate contraceptive advice for high-risk pregnant women.

This review aims to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge and practice in the field of cardio-obstetrics with the goal of increasing awareness, informing decision making, and encouraging further research in this area. In conclusion, it is important to identify the risk early, manage the patient as an individual and have a team-based care approach to improve the long-term outcomes of the cardiovascular system in pregnant women.