Irregular heartbeat in pregnancy: what should you know?

Pregnancy increases the work of the heart and can make a racing, fluttering or skipped beat more noticeable. Dehydration, vomiting, fever, anaemia, stress, poor sleep, thyroid problems and some medicines can also contribute. A rhythm condition such as Atrial Fibrillation is less common but needs proper assessment rather than guessing from the sensation.

Write down the episode’s timing, duration, activity, position and associated symptoms. Tell the clinician how far along the pregnancy is and provide a full list of prescribed medicines, over-the-counter products and supplements. An Electrocardiogram is commonly used to look at the rhythm.

Sit or lie comfortably, breathe slowly and drink fluids if you have been advised that this is suitable. Contact your maternity team or clinician if episodes recur, become more intense, or come with reduced tolerance for normal activity. Do not take a new heart remedy, stimulant, herbal product or Anticoagulation Management medicine without pregnancy-specific advice.

Get emergency help for chest pain, severe difficulty breathing, fainting, collapse, a sustained very fast heartbeat, or new weakness, confusion, speech trouble or vision loss. These neurological symptoms can be warning signs of Stroke or Transient Ischaemic Attack. Seek prompt review if you also have marked swelling, breathlessness when resting or sudden worsening fatigue.

Could anaemia, thyroid disease, dehydration or a medicine explain this? Is an Electrocardiogram or longer monitoring appropriate? Which treatments are suitable at this stage of pregnancy, and which symptoms mean I should attend emergency care?