Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Pacemaker and Pregnancy
This forum is for questions and support regarding heart issues such as: Angina, Angioplasty, Arrhythmia, Bypass Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Coronary Artery Disease, Defibrillator, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Mitral Valve Prolapse, Pacemaker, PAD, Stenosis, Stress Tests.
Pacemaker and Pregnancy
by C.J., Dec 08, 1999 12:00AM
I am a 26 year old female and have had a pacemaker since I was 10 for a complete heart block. My own heart rate goes anywhere from 30-50. My pacemaker is implanted in my abdomen. I recently had a new pacemaker put in and asked the doctor about pregnancy and all he said was, "there shouldn't be a problem." I guess my question is, will having a pacemaker put a fetus or myself at any risks? Also, with the pacer being in my abdomen, will this pose a problem as my stomach grows? I try to ask the hospital for help, but they don't seem to concerned. Are there any statistics on women with my condition that have gone through pregnancy? And lastly, they dont know if my condition is congenital or caused from a childhood illness, if it was congenital, would my children be at risk for heart problems? I would just like some help to know what to expect. Thank you.
C.J.
C.J.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF CARDIO MD - DLB, Dec 08, 1999 12:00AM
Having a pacemaker should not be a problem as far as your pregnancy is concerned. Make usre that your obstetrician is aware of this pacemaker. Since it is implanted in the abdomen, it may look more prominent as the skin around it is stretched. The fact that you were born with complete heart block does somewhat increase the risks of such problems with your child. This is something else to discuss with your obstetrician early on.
