Cardiac Considerations in Pregnancy: A Spotlight on Peripartum Cardiomyopathy and Pregnancy-Associated Spontaneous Coronary Dissection.

Cardiovascular diseases complicating pregnancies are major causes of peripartum morbidity and mortality. The field of Cardio-Obstetrics has evolved to treat women with acquired and metabolic-related cardiovascular diseases in addition to congenital heart disease. Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a heart failure etiology specific to pregnant and post-partum women. Pregnancy-associated spontaneous coronary dissection (p-SCAD) is the most common cause of acute myocardial infarction in the pregnant and post-partum population, highlighting the importance of evaluating chest discomfort. Adequate therapy for both PPCM and p-SCAD requires expertise from multiple medical subspecialities, which underscores the necessity of the Cardio-Obstetric team approach.