Introduction
The occurrence of additional heartbeats (extrasystoles) in addition to the normal pulse is colloquially referred to as heart stumbling. Heart stumbling can theoretically occur at any age, so it is not unusual for pregnant women to suffer from heart stumbling. In such a situation, many women are unsure whether the stumbling of the heart could harm their unborn child.
In most cases, however, concerns are unfounded. Occasional, additional beats, i.e. single supraventricular or ventricular extrasystoles, are completely normal during pregnancy. The pregnant woman often does not even notice the blows.
Only in a few cases is a heart stumble noticeable, usually two or three extrasystoles occur. But this is also normal as long as the heart stutter does not occur regularly or persists for long periods of time. Occasional heart flutter disappears after seconds, is often completely absent after pregnancy and normally does not require medical treatment.
The combination of heart stumbling and pregnancy only becomes dangerous when the heart stumbling is caused by serious heart disease. Particularly problematic are diseases such as coronary heart disease or cardiac arrhythmia with simultaneous palpitations (tachyarrhythmias). Rhythm disturbances of the heart, which are accompanied by tachycardia, can turn into atrial fibrillation or ventricular fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation is caused by rhythm disturbances of the atria, while ventricular fibrillation affects the rhythm of the ventricles. Both conditions are acutely life-threatening. The heart no longer performs sufficient pumping movements because the fibrillation no longer produces continuous, regular stimuli and is then no longer able to supply the body with sufficient blood.
This leads to cardiovascular arrest. In case of pregnancy, not only the life of the mother but also that of the unborn child is endangered. Continuous dysrhythmia or palpitations must be treated during pregnancy to ensure the health of mother and child.
Causes of heart stumbling during pregnancy
Heart stumbling during pregnancy is caused by individual, additional contractions (pumping movements) of the heart. These can occur either in the area of the atria or in the ventricles. Additional contractions occurring in the atria are called supraventricular extrasystoles, the extra contractions of the ventricles are called ventricular extrasystoles.
Both clinical pictures are based on different causes, which can be divided into three groups. 2. emotional excitement, fatigue or alcohol consumption and smoking during pregnancy belong to the second group of causes of heart stumbling during pregnancy. 3. the third group concerns changes in electrolyte balance.
For example, if a lack of potassium is caused by severe pregnancy vomiting (hyperemesis gravidarum), the sensitivity of the heart muscle cells changes, and heart stumbling occurs more frequently. Already in the first half of pregnancy the woman’s heart rate increases slightly, heart beats outside the normal pulse rate are favoured by the increase in heart rate. In the further course of the pregnancy, the pulse rate can even rise by up to 15 beats per minute.
The blood volume of a pregnant woman also increases from the 6th week, and at the same time the veins in the legs, for example, dilate, so that the overall blood pressure drops. Nevertheless, the heart is forced to distribute the extra blood throughout the body. The hormonal changes, especially the increased production of sex hormones or thyroid hormones, contribute to the change in metabolism. This also has effects on the heart. The muscle cells in the heart become more sensitive to electrical impulses, and isolated, additional beats may occur.
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