Alejandro González Veliz: Pregnancy is a Cardiovascular Stress Test
Alejandro González Veliz, Interventional Cardiologist at Institute of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery, shared a post on LinkedIn about a recent article by Tiffany L Brazile et al, published in The Lancet, adding:
“Pregnancy is one of the most profound cardiovascular stress tests the human body undergoes.
Cardiac output can increase by up to 50% during pregnancy, while systemic vascular resistance falls and blood volume expands. These adaptations are usually well tolerated—but they can also unmask previously unrecognized cardiovascular disease or worsen pre-existing conditions.
And the risk does not end at delivery.
Immediately after birth, haemodynamic changes can be dramatic, with cardiac output rising by 50–80% above pre-labour values. This makes the early postpartum period particularly vulnerable for women with cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular disease complicates up to 15% of pregnancies and remains a major contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide.
The key is not simply recognizing disease—it is identifying risk early.
Preconception counselling, structured risk stratification, medication review, individualized delivery planning, and coordinated care through a pregnancy heart team can make a critical difference.
Most importantly, cardiovascular care should not stop after delivery. Pregnancy and the postpartum period represent an opportunity to identify cardiovascular risk and improve a woman’s long-term cardiovascular health.
Pregnancy is not only an obstetric event.
It is a cardiovascular stress test—and an important window into lifetime cardiovascular health.”
Title: Cardiovascular disease in pregnancy: physiology, global burden, risk stratification, and opportunities in care
Authors: Tiffany L Brazile, Nathalie Conrad, Lina Bergman, Justin Paul Gnanaraj, Laxmi S Mehta, Candice K Silversides, Karen Sliwa, Garima Sharma, Cardiovascular Disease in Pregnancy Writing Group
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