Pregnancy
<p><b>Your heart health during pregnancy</b></p>
<p>Being pregnant can make you solely focus on your growing baby and forget about your own health. It’s important to know that pregnancy can put stress on your heart and circulatory system.</p>
<p><br />Your heart pumps more blood each minute and your heart rate increases as the body works to pump blood to the organs and placenta.</p>
<p><br /><b>Pregnancy and heart health</b><br />As your unborn baby grows and places pressure on your diaphragm, you may experience shortness of breath, mild chest pains, and even heart palpitations. On the upside, these symptoms are fairly normal and rarely cause any issues.</p>
<p><br />What’s more; labour and delivery can add to your heart's workload; particularly when you push during labour, you'll experience changes in blood flow and pressure. After delivery, it may take several weeks for the stresses to subside and return to normal pre-pregnancy levels.</p>
<p><br />If you have an existing heart condition, you'll need special care.</p>
<p><br /><b>Heart disease risk factors with pregnancy</b><br /><b>• Preterm delivery.</b> Delivery in less than 37 weeks.</p>
<p><br />• When you develop <b>high blood pressure</b> after five months of pregnancy, you may have more than three times the risk for high blood pressure, double the risk of heart disease, and almost double the risk of stroke and blood clots in the legs.</p>
<p><br />• <b>Diabetes</b>. If you’re diagnosed with diabetes after your first trimester, you run a greater risk of developing diabetes later in life.</p>
<p><br /><b>• Weight gain.</b> If weight gained during pregnancy is not lost about a year after birth, it can be associated with worsened cardiovascular effects.</p>
<p><br /><b>Protect your heart during and after pregnancy</b><br />Stay active as much as you can even if it's a few 10-minute walks each day. Eat regular meals, take your prenatal vitamins consistently, and follow a heart-healthy diet that includes:</p>
<p><br />• Plenty of fruits and vegetables.<br />• Lean meat like chicken, turkey, and fish.<br />• Limited saturated fat and red meat.<br />• Unsaturated fats from nuts, seeds, oils, and avocado.<br />• Limited sodium.<br />• Low-fat dairy.</p>
<p><br /><b>Good to know</b><br />Regular prenatal care will assist in monitoring your heart health and can reduce the risk of developing an untreated heart issue. Your doctor will take your height, weight, and blood pressure measurements, to see how your body is adjusting to pregnancy changes. Use this time to tell your doctor about any changes or symptoms you have noticed.</p>
