Palpitations in pregnancy can be caused by increased blood volume and strain on the heart, hormones, stress, or heart conditions. They are not uncommon and do not necessarily indicate a sign of disease, but it is advisable to receive a medical evaluation to check for potential problems. A medical provider can look for possibly serious causes to determine if the palpitations are benign, and may have some recommendations for reducing their intensity and frequency. If patients experience heart palpitations accompanied by shortness of breath, nausea, sweating, and faintness, they should seek immediate medical attention.
During pregnancy, women produce more blood, and the heart has to work harder to circulate it through the body. This can cause heart palpitations, where the heartbeat feels momentarily stronger or may flutter in the chest. These can also explain changes in blood pressure and episodes of dizziness in pregnancy. Patients who notice heart palpitations can take note of the circumstances; for example, they might occur after rising from a seated to standing position, indicating that the heart had to start working harder to get blood to the legs.
Another potential cause is hormones, particularly progesterone. Hormonal shifts occur during pregnancy and can sometimes cause heart palpitations. Stress can also play a role, as women may be emotionally strained by the pregnancy and preparations for birth. These things are normal, but the physiological results may be alarming or unexpected. People with no history of heart problems who develop heart palpitations in pregnancy often have a benign cause like stress, hormones, or circulatory system changes.
More seriously, heart palpitations in pregnancy can be caused by an underlying heart problem. This may not have been apparent before the pregnancy, when the increased strain on the heart would make it more noticeable. Patients who develop arrhythmias or palpitations in pregnancy and experience symptoms like sweating and dizziness may need to be evaluated by a cardiologist. The doctor can perform some tests to learn more about the cause of the palpitations in pregnancy to determine if the patient needs a medical intervention.
People with existing heart conditions who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant may want to discuss the situation with their doctors. Such patients can successfully carry pregnancies to term, but may need to take some special care to protect themselves and their fetuses. It is also important to be aware that some medications used to manage heart problems can be dangerous to a developing fetus, which may make it necessary to consider alternatives for the duration of pregnancy.