Peripartum cardiomyopathy

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a potentially devastating disease that affects women during the last months of pregnancy or the first months after delivery. The aetiology and pathogenesis of this disease remain unclear, but oxidative stress and the generation of a cardiotoxic fragment of prolactin may play key roles. Diagnosing PPCM remains a challenge, as symptoms may mimic those women experience during normal pregnancy and the peripartum period. A high index of suspicion is thus necessary to make the diagnosis. Patients with PPCM have a varied clinical course, as some patients achieve full recovery while others progress to end-stage heart failure and even death. Standard heart failure treatment is indicated, although special provisions are necessary in pregnant and lactating women. Additional research into the pathophysiology of this disease, including possible genetic contributions, may lead to novel treatment strategies that can improve outcomes.