Arrhythmias are one of the most common forms of cardiac disease presenting in pregnancy. Women with underlying arrhythmias may only present to health care professionals when they are pregnant. The most common type of sustained arrhythmia presenting in pregnancy is a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). This can be difficult to diagnose, as symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness and shortness of breath are also common symptoms of pregnancy. We present the management of a woman who developed intrapartum SVT. Her case highlights the importance of considering the diagnosis in the antenatal period, the use of antiarrhythmic drugs, as well as the fact that achieving vaginal delivery is possible in correctly selected cases while the mother and baby remain stable.
Keywords: Cardiac; complications; drugs (medication); high-risk pregnancy; maternal-fetal medicine.