You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. Please enable scripts and reload this page.
Turn on more accessible mode
Turn off more accessible mode
Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content
Turn off Animations
Turn on Animations
CTDetailNew
It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. Please turn on JavaScript and try again.
Appointment
Find a Condition or Treatment
Find a Doctor
Menu
MAIN
Back to Home
About Us
Corporate Profile
Clinical Governance
Newsroom
Working with Our Community
Calendar of Events
Visitor Information
Contact Us
Patient Care
Conditions & Treatments
Specialties & Services
Emergency Visit
Clinic Visit
Hospital Stay
E-Services
Research & Innovation
About Research Office
Research Publications
SingHealth Research
Education & Training
Undergraduate
Postgraduate
Professional Development
Clinical Job Shadowing
GP Education
Careers
Career Choices
Our Healthcare Professionals
Sponsorships
Job Opportunities
Contact Us
Giving
Why Give
Impactful Giving
What's Happening
Make a Gift
Gratitude Pool of Donors
Conditions & Treatments
Back to Home
Conditions & Treatments
Find Your Medicine
Patient Resources
Specialties & Services
Emergency Visit
Clinic Visit
Back to Home
SKH Telemedicine
Patient Classification
Make, Change or Cancel an Appointment
Clinic Locations
Collecting Your Medications
Medication Delivery Service
Follow-up Appointment
Outpatient Consultation Charges
Payment Options
Hospital Stay
Back to Home
Preparing for Admission
Estimate Your Hospital Bill
Type of Wards
Your Stay With Us
Inpatient Charges
Preparing for Surgery & Anaesthesia
Day Surgery
Same Day Admission
Preparing for Colonoscopy
Advance Care Planning
Who Can Be My Voice
Simple Steps to ACP
Contacts for ACP
ACP Frequently Asked Questions
Going Home After Discharge
Medisave
MediShield Life
Request for Medical Report
Ward Virtual Tour
Bills & Payments
E-Services
Back to Home
Bills and Payment
Home
to skip to the main content on a page
to skip to the main content on a page
About Us
Back to Home
Corporate Profile
Hospital Overview
Our Story
Vanda SKH
Key Milestones
Awards & Achievements
Meet Our Leaders
Whistle-blowing Policy
Sengkang Community Hospital
Clinical Governance
Newsroom
News Release
News Articles
SKOOP
Working with Our Community
Volunteer Opportunities
Community Health Posts (CHP)
Calendar of Events
Visitor Information
Personal Data Protection Act
Getting to SKH
Car Park Information
Amenities
Contact Us
Appointments
Check Fake News
Feedback & Compliments
Retail Opportunities
Patient Care
Back to Home
Conditions & Treatments
Conditions & Treatments
Find Your Medicine
Patient Resources
Specialties & Services
Emergency Visit
Clinic Visit
SKH Telemedicine
Patient Classification
Make, Change or Cancel an Appointment
Clinic Locations
Collecting Your Medications
Medication Delivery Service
Follow-up Appointment
Outpatient Consultation Charges
Payment Options
Hospital Stay
Preparing for Admission
Preparing for Surgery & Anaesthesia
Preparing for Colonoscopy
Advance Care Planning
Going Home After Discharge
Ward Virtual Tour
Bills & Payments
E-Services
Bills and Payment
Research & Innovation
Back to Home
About Research Office
Research Publications
SingHealth Research
Education & Training
Back to Home
Undergraduate
Postgraduate
Professional Development
Clinical Job Shadowing
GP Education
Careers
Back to Home
Career Choices
Employee Value Proposition
Employee Benefits
Our Healthcare Professionals
Doctors
Nurses
Allied Health Professionals
Management and Administration
Ancillary and Support
Sponsorships
Healthcare Scholarships
SKH Sponsorship Application
Job Opportunities
Contact Us
Giving
Back to Home
Why Give
Impactful Giving
What's Happening
Make a Gift
Gratitude Pool of Donors
Home
>
Patient Care
>
Conditions and Treatment
>
Pregnancy and Women with Congenital Heart Disease
>
Overview
Facebook
WhatsApp
Email Us
share
Font Resize
A-
A
A+
Print
Pregnancy and Women with Congenital Heart Disease
Pregnancy and Women with Congenital Heart Disease - What it is
Congenital heart disease
refers to heart defects that exist since birth. The incidence of congenital heart disease in Singapore is 0.8 per cent of total live births. Improvements in the modern medicine in the past decades have increased the survival of patients with congenital heart disease. As such, although women with congenital heart disease will have a higher risk of developing complications – anemia, bleeding,
high blood pressure
and premature birth – during pregnancy and delivery, most can still have a successful pregnancy, as long as there are careful planning and discussion.
Pregnancy and Delivery for Women with Congenital Heart Disease
Planning pregnancy
Please consult with your cardiologist if you are considering pregnancy. Your cardiologist understands your heart condition(s) and will explain the effect of pregnancy on your health.
Ideally, your pregnancy should be planned before conception. An
echocardiogram
(ultrasound of the heart) or other tests may be performed to assess if your heart will be able to cope with the extra demand during pregnancy. Your cardiologist will then advise you on the risks and whether pregnancy is safe for you. For some heart conditions, your cardiologist may discuss the timing for surgery to improve your heart function before pregnancy.
It is important for any woman that is planning pregnancy to start observing a healthy lifestyle which includes eating healthily, exercising regularly, avoiding smoking and excessive intake of alcohol.
During pregnancy
There will be an increased demand on your heart during pregnancy. You should visit your obstetrician and cardiologist early, at about six to seven weeks of pregnancy. They will plan your check-ups and scans depending on your heart condition(s). Your cardiologist will listen to your heart and lungs, and ask for symptoms of shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat and exercise tolerance (when climbing the stairs or walking at a normal pace). Your blood pressure and heartbeat will also be measured.
During delivery
Natural birth or vaginal delivery is safe for the majority of women with congenital heart disease. It is important to limit the demand on the heart and thus, good pain relief may be necessary. It is essential to discuss with your obstetrician the various aspects of delivery including the planning and timing of delivery, and the methods of pain relief. For some women, the antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended before labour starts to prevent
endocarditis
.
Hospitalisation
Women with congenital heart disease may need to have a slightly longer stay in the hospital after their delivery to allow the heart to normalise to pre-pregnancy levels.
Cardiac-Obstetric Clinic
National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS) and the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology from Singapore General Hospital run a monthly specialised joint Cardiac-Obstetric Clinic on the last Monday morning of the month to see all pregnant patients with heart disease. Over the last 10 years, we have managed 200 to 300 pregnant patients with varying severity of cardiac problems through their pregnancy with successful outcomes.
Pregnancy and Women with Congenital Heart Disease - Symptoms
Pregnancy and Women with Congenital Heart Disease - How to prevent?
Pregnancy and Women with Congenital Heart Disease - Causes and Risk Factors
Pregnancy and Women with Congenital Heart Disease - Treatments
Pregnancy and Women with Congenital Heart Disease - Preparing for surgery
Pregnancy and Women with Congenital Heart Disease - Post-surgery care
Display Entire Article +
Back
Diagnosis
Tags:
Cardiology,
Adult Congenital Heart Disease,
Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD),
Infective Endocarditis
Article contributed by
Department of Cardiology
,
National Heart Centre Singapore
The information provided is not intended as medical advice.
Terms of use
. Information provided by
Our Breast Team
Filter:
By designation or sub-specialty
By Designation:
By Sub-Specialty:
TOP
[]
Related Conditions
Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD)
Infective Endocarditis
View more
Related Medicine
Healthy Living Tips
by
View more
Discover articles,videos, and guides afrom Singhealth's resources across the web. These information are collated, making healthy living much easier for everyone.
8 Ways to Lower Risk of Heart Disease
What Is Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)?
Exercises for Cardiac Patients (Sitting)
Exercises for Cardiac Patients (Standing)
×
SUBSCRIBE VIA EMAIL
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the updates to your email inbox...
Find a Doctor
Condition & Treatment
Home
Appointment
E-services