Aim: This report of five cases of peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) treated at Daeyang Luke Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi, illustrates presentation and treatment of this increasingly commonly recognized medical condition.
Methods: Information including history, physical examination, and imaging studies were collected from five cases of peripartum women who presented to the hospital over an 18-month period.
Results: A summary of recommended treatment is included in table form, and a flow chart proposing a care pathway for managing PPCM in Malawi, beginning at the district hospital level, is presented.
Conclusion: Clinical recognition, appropriate diagnostic modalities, and informed treatment of PPCM in Malawi will improve care of peripartum woman and reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.
Keywords: Cardiomyopathies; Malawi; Peripartum Period; Pregnancy; Puerperal Disorders; Southern Africa.
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