Including ECGs and heart echoes within antenatal care would be done to identify peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM), also known as postpartum cardiomyopathy. PPCM is heart failure which is pregnancy induced and is often missed causing life threatening outcomes both for mother and child. Many women during pregnancy are not receiving proper medical care. During pregnancy many of the tests carried out are done to check baby. For many women who approach obstetric doctors feeling unwell, they are told it's because they’re pregnant. Pregnancy is not an illness and if an expecting mother feels unwell then checks should be made. Many people assume conditions that are at times related to pregnancy will go away, but for women who have cardiomyopathy the effects can be devastating and relentless after the birth. If we could diagnose and treat the symptoms rather than waiting until the damage is done, we would save lives and money for the treatment of patients with heart conditions.
Having experienced PPCM I started a petition on change.org to highlight this issue. This petition has, at present, 1000 signatures. My story and information about my change.org petition have appeared in the Sunday Post as part of my work to raise awareness of this condition.