Mobitz Type 1 (Wenchebach) and Pregnancy

I am a 30 year old woman recently diagnosed with Mobitz Type 1 (Wenckebach) heart block. My cardiologist has offered to pace me for this condition, and I am trying to find out what to do.  One of my main worries is that my husband and I would like to start a family, and I don't know if this condition might get worse during pregnancy.

Is anyone out there unpaced with this condition, and has had a baby?  I can't find anyone, so if anyone has an experience, please post.

[ireneo]

Oh, I'm so glad you posted here. I do believe you posted on another board and I spoke with you briefly. This is a larger audience and surely someone here has Mobitz 1. I hope you get some more input here.

[daisyone]

Thanks ireno.  I'm trying, but no luck yet!

[Brooke_38]

Hello...

Is your block transient or constant? Do you have any associated symptoms related to it? Have you had any syncopal episodes because of it? This type of heart block is usually benign and often requires no treatment unless the symptoms are severe.

Type I second-degree heart block is generally treated by addressing any underlying conditions that are contributing to it. Temporary pacing and/or medication (e.g., atropine) may be required if the heartbeat is too slow, but a permanent pacemaker is generally not necessary unless the condition worsens.

I have experienced this type of block but not during either of my 2 pregnancies. You mentioned that your Dr offered to pace you...would this be permanent pacmaker or temporary pacing while you are pregnant?

[daisyone]

My heart block is intermittent: most of the time whilst I am asleep, but also sometimes when I am awake.  It's there everyday, but not all the time.

My cardiologist has offered me permanent pacing for symptoms: no syncope, but dizziness, breathlessness, and palpitations.  Although the condition is usually benign, there is some research that calls this into question: it's considered benign in part because very little data has been collected.

If I could find someone who had this condition and pregnancy didn't make it worse I might hold off on the pacemaker.  My main fear is that pregnancy will make it worse.

[ireneo]

I just looked up some info on pregnancy and heart block. Most articles were about women that presented with complete heart block (which you don't have thankfully) part way through the pregnancy. They were having problems, came in with a hr of 45 or so (there's a node in the ventricles that will keep the heart beating even if the SA node is acting up). They put the women on temporary pacers and the pregnancy continued to term. Even women that came in with complete heart block at term ( a rare occurrence) were paced through delivery and it all worked out.

So you could opt for the pacer just during pregnancy if your doctor is willing to do that. But after the baby is born, you still have to make some decisions about your Wenckebach and how to treat it. Maybe you'll have to look for a second opinion.

[Nernin]

I have the same condition and just had my first child.  I have very frequent and bothersome symptoms.  I was on medication that did a good job of controlling my symptoms before pregnancy, but had to stop the medication once I became pregnant.  My symptoms generally present during a resting heart rate <70 bpm.  During pregnancy, your natural heart rate increases, so I had few to no symptoms at all during pregnancy!  Because of my condition, I was considered a high-risk pregnancy, but thankfully never had any problems.  I just got to have more frequent check-ups and hear the baby's heart beat more often!  The only downside was during delivery.  They had me hooked up to monitors so I was not free to walk around.  But overall, everything was great!  Good luck to you!