Encouraging News Regarding Pots & Pregnancy

[Michelle Sawicki]

Hi everyone,

Here is an abstract to new research regarding POTS and pregnancy:

1: Pacing Clin Electrophysiol. 2009 Aug;32(8):1000-3.

Outcomes of pregnancy in patients with preexisting postural tachycardia syndrome.

Kanjwal K, Karabin B, Kanjwal Y, Grubb BP.

Pacing and Electrophysiology section, Division of Cardiology, Department of

Medicine, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio 43614, USA.

BACKGROUND: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) occurs more commonly

in women than in men and often affects women of childbearing age. Many of these

women wish to have children, yet there are little reported data on the outcomes

of pregnancy in patients with POTS. To date there has been one report of two

patients with POTS who successfully completed pregnancy. We report the outcomes

of 22 women with preexisting POTS who became pregnant. OBJECTIVE: To assess the

outcome of pregnancy in patients with preexisting POTS. METHODS AND RESULTS:

Twenty-two patients, age 30 +/- 7 years, with POTS became pregnant. Migraine was

the common comorbidity found in 40% of patients. Medications used were

beta-blockers (18%), midiodrine (31%), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

(31%), fludrocortisone (13%), combination (40%), and none (18%). During

pregnancy, symptoms of POTS remained unchanged in three (13%), improved in 12

(55%), and worsened in seven (31%) patients. One patient who had recurrent

episodes of syncope without aura was found to have complete heart block and

received a cardiac pacemaker. All patients completed pregnancy successfully.

There were no stillbirths. One patient developed hyperemesis. Eighteen patients

had vaginal delivery and four patients delivered by cesarian section. No other

complications of pregnancy were encountered. Congenital abnormalities were

encountered in the form of one atrial septal defect, one ventricular septal

defect, and one Down's syndrome. Postpartum symptoms of POTS remained stable in

15 (69%) patients and worsened in seven (31%) patients. CONCLUSION: Based on our

observation, patients with POTS can safely complete pregnancy if they desire to

do so. POTS should not be considered a contraindication to pregnancy per se.

PMID: 19659618 [PubMed - in process]

-Michelle

[janiedelite]

Awesome! Thanks.

[firewatcher]

Is this part of the results of the info that Doctorguest wanted from those of us who had been pregnant or another study?

[juliegee]

I wondered the same thing, Jennifer!

[worththewords]

Thanks for sharing, Michelle! This is comforting to read!

[MomtoGiuliana]

I'm glad to see a study that supports use of meds during pregnancy. I think it would be daunting for some to try going off all meds during pregnancy, and it seems that is what is always recommended--at least by cardiologists. This article reflects how very different the variants of POTS are (some improved some got worse, etc) and therefore that each patient needs to be assessed individually and each patient needs to evaluate whether pregnancy is the best choice for her. Also this was such a tiny study, so it points to the need for continued research.

[Sunfish]

firewatcher et al -

i'm fairly sure that this study is entirely separate from any of the the info doctorguest was collecting.

melissa

[firewatcher]

firewatcher et al -

i'm fairly sure that this study is entirely separate from any of the the info doctorguest was collecting.

melissa

Thanks Melissa, it did not sound the same, but I wondered. I am glad that this is being investigated.