Pregnancy can cause strange heart symptoms

Your pregnant. And you feel like your heart is racing.

Is that normal?

WATCH: How you can stay heart-healthy while pregnant
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WellStar Kennestone cardiologist Dr. Mindy Gentry says the answer, typically, is yes.

"So very commonly, pregnant women will come in with palpitations, or feeling like their heart is beating fast and hard," Dr. Gentry says. "And oftentimes that's because it is. Your heart rate is naturally higher during pregnancy.

A woman's blood volume goes up by about 30% to 50% during pregnancy, and her heart rate may increase by 10 to 20 beats a minute, Dr. Gentry says.

But, less than 10% of the time, Dr. Gentry says, hormonal changes that come with pregnancy, can bring on or exacerbate an abnormal heart rhythm.

"So when people come in complaining of high heart rate or palpitations, we have to decide is that normal, related to the pregnancy, or is it an abnormal rhythm that has been worsened or exacerbated by the pregnancy," Gentry says.

Many women experience a drop in their blood pressure when they're expecting, which can cause dizziness and lightheadedness,

"So, trying to hydrate well, and making sure you stay hydrated is very important, to try to keep that blood pressure from dropping low enough that it causes problems," Gentry says.

Some pregnant women have the opposite problem, hypertension. Their blood pressure is too high. That's often known as preeclampsia.

Pregnant woman can also experience a spike in their blood sugar, or gestational diabetes.

"Either of those things does increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease after pregnancy, and really for decades after the pregnancy," says Gentry. "If you're overweight, or not exercising, that increases the risk significantly."

For that reason, Dr. Gentry says, try to get as healthy as you can and to start exercising before you start trying to get pregnant.

Then, stay active as long as you safely can into your pregnancy.

If something just doesn't feel normal, get it checked out.

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[m.noorahmed]

Whenever I worry my heart beats palpitations increase and feels like I m no more .. then again back to normal. M 19weeks pregnant.. I have anxiety and panic attacks.. plz pray for me and my child safe delivery

[Melissa-gfit]

Paripartium Cardiomyopathy during and after pregnancy needs to be made awareness.

[alvinluvdoctor]

Mine is the opposite. My heart beat slows down.. its scary i can hear it slowing down.. then i cant breathe..

[rosea]

Shortness of breath, fast pulse, and palpitations are normal pregnancy symptoms. What’s not normal is if you have those symptoms and you pass out. And/or if you have any other health problems, especially congenial heart disease. Find a doctor who cares and is thorough.

[brth]

I had severe shortness of breath during the day and in my sleep and my obgyn said it was normal and constantly asked me if I had anxiety ( I don't) and said it was me making myself nervous🙄 I was only around 18 weeks pregnant. Its so hard to find a doctor that actually cares.

[janiswashington]

This happens to me often I'm 36 weeks it's been happening for a month and a half. Especially if I'm cooking I have to sit right then if not I feel like I will pass out .when it happens I feel my heart pounding my hands feel hot and dry. I get the same feeling if I'm laying down then get up to use the bathroom or anything that small for me I don't feel dizzy its just that my heart is pounding and I'm extremely tired.

[mstrawder]

I have atrial tachycardia the highest my heart rate went to was 180 and now I’m on beta blocker

[soniaoriakhi]

my beat low now at 19weeks but am scared

[shikoblessings]

Am four months pregnant n having a sharp pain in my left hand chest, is it normal