HEART PALPITATIONS IN PREGNANCY

HEART PALPITATIONS IN PREGNANCY

Your body is carrying extra blood and this can cause your heart rate to increase about 25% faster than usual. A faster heart rate can result in occasional heart palpitations which feel like your heart is racing, thumping or even skipping a beat (ectopic beats) stress and anxiety can exacerbate the symptoms too. . In the VAST MAJORITY of cases, heart palpitations in pregnancy are no cause for concern but in rare situations, it can be caused by pre-eclampsia, hypertension, underlying heart disorders or thyroid problems. Always mention heart palpitations to your care provider. If you are also experiencing chest pain or shortness of breath seek medical attention straight away. . During the pregnancy of my 5th child, I began getting heart palpitations and ectopic beats from around 10 weeks. It started happening a couple of times per week until it got to a point where it was occuring on and off all day every day. I had a couple of ecg's (electrocardiogram- assessment of the hearts rhythm) and they were normal. I would often feel lightheaded and unable to focus properly with my heart forver thjmping out of my chest. The palpitations got so bad I was convinced there was a problem with my heart and insisted on a referal to a heart specialist. They performed several blood tests and an ultrasound where they sped up my heart rate and examined it thouroughly. No abnormalities were identified and the palpitations literally stopped the day I gave birth. . Did you experience heart palpitations during pregnancy?