Peripartum Cardiomyopathy

Peripartum cardiomyopathy, sometimes called postpartum cardiomyopathy, is a form of dilated cardiomyopathy defined as a deterioration in cardiac function presenting typically between the last month of pregnancy and up to six months postpartum. As with other forms of dilated cardiomyopathy, it involves systolic dysfunction with a decrease in the left ventricular ejection fraction, associated congestive heart failure, and an increased risk of arrhythmias, thromboembolism, and even sudden cardiac death, since the heart muscle cannot contract forcefully enough to pump adequate blood for the body's needs.