Cardiac maladaptation in obese pregnant women at term

What is it about?

Obesity has become a worldwide epidemic, also affecting women of childbearing age. It's association with heart disease is well recognized. During pregnancy, the blood volume of the expectant mother increases. This challenges the heart with an extra volume load. We showed with the help of echocardiography (heart ultrasound) that the hearts of obese pregnant women adapt less well to the extra workload of pregnancy than the hearts of pregnant women of normal body weight.

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