At Risk

In Japan, Peripartum Cardiomyopathy is estimated to affect 1 of every 6,000 pregnancies. One in every 1,000 pregnancies in South America are affected, and as many as 1 in every 350 live births to mothers in Haiti are affected by PPCM. In the United States, it is estimated that PPCM occurs in 1 out of every 1300 - 15,000 live births. One thousand, three hundred or fifteen thousand? That's a huge discrepancy. One glaring reason for the alarming range is the lack of any wide spread formal research in the US.
Peripartum Cardiomyopathy is more prevalent in women carrying multiples (twins, triplets, etc...) and in women with preeclampsia, but many women without either of those two risk factors develop PPCM. It was once thought that mothers older than 30 years old carried the greater risk of developing PPCM, but recent studies have shown that just isn't the case.
Based on case studies in the United States, PPCM is most likely to develop in African American women living in the south, but it can occur in any pregnant or post partum woman of any age and/or geographic location.

 

 Diagnosis

Echocardiograms (ECG) are ultrasound pictures taken of your heart. They're much like ultrasounds a pregnant woman will receive of her baby. They are not painful, but are sometimes uncomfortable. This test can show heart enlargement, decreased cardiac output, movement of the heart, and the electrical functioning of the heart. This is a very important test for diagnosing and following Peripartum Cardiomyopathy.

An Electrocardiogram (EKG) may be done to quickly show electrical functioning of the heart. Holter Monitors may be prescribed for a period of several hours or days to record the rhythm of the heart over longer periods of time.

Chest X rays, Chest CT scans, and MUGA or RNV are radiological tests that may be used to show heart size and function, or congestion in the lungs and the veins of the lungs.

A heart biopsy may be helpful to determine the underlying cause of Peripartum Cardiomyopathy, as many cases may be caused by myocarditis.

Treatment

Certain drug therapies are considered standard care for Peripartum Cardiomyopathy patients. Those include Beta Blockers, Ace-inhibitors, and diuretics. Digoxin may also be prescribed.

Because patients are usually young, and otherwise healthy, all means necessary are applied to ensure survival. Heart dysfunction in PPCM patients can be reversible with the proper, timely treatment. This typically only involves drug therapies, but in severe cases may include extreme measures such as an artificial heart or a heart transplant. Immunosuppressive therapy is sometimes successful. However, for most women, treatment primarily is for symptom relief.