A Montgomery County mother’s shortness of breath and leg swelling after her fifth child’s birth turned out to be more than a normal side effect of recovery — it revealed a heart defect she’d had since birth and never knew about. Her case is now central to why MedStar Health has opened a new specialty clinic aimed at catching cardiovascular problems in pregnant and postpartum women before they become dangerous.
MedStar Montgomery Medical Center in Olney has launched a dedicated Cardio-Obstetrics Clinic serving women who are planning pregnancy, currently pregnant, or in the postpartum period with known heart disease, new cardiovascular symptoms, or pregnancy-related complications. The clinic is led by Dr. Minhal Makshood, a board-certified cardiologist with advanced training in women’s cardiovascular health and cardio-obstetrics, and brings together cardiologists, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, obstetricians and other specialists. Until now, this level of coordinated specialty care has largely been available only at major academic medical centers.
“Pregnancy puts extra strain on the heart and blood vessels,” Makshood said. For women with a heart condition, or who develop symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, fainting, high blood pressure or heart failure during pregnancy, she said, specialized heart care “can make a critical difference,” giving both mother and baby the best chance at a healthy pregnancy and delivery.
The clinic’s approach is illustrated by the case of Jazzmin Plaid, who continued to experience shortness of breath and leg swelling as she recovered from a cesarean delivery. Rather than dismissing the symptoms as normal postpartum recovery, Makshood and the cardio-obstetrics team investigated further. Testing revealed a congenital heart defect — a small opening between the heart’s upper chambers that had gone undiagnosed since birth. Because of MedStar’s coordinated specialist network, Plaid was connected with experts who performed a minimally invasive repair at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, avoiding open-heart surgery.
“Jazzmin’s story is an important reminder that heart-related symptoms during pregnancy or after childbirth should never be dismissed,” Makshood said. Symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pain, a racing heartbeat or fainting, she said, “can sometimes signal a serious heart condition.”
The new clinic reflects a broader, well-documented problem: cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States, accounting for more than a third of pregnancy-related deaths, according to research published in the American College of Cardiology’s journal JACC: Advances. National data cited by the American College of Cardiology shows the maternal mortality rate from cardiovascular causes rose from 3.6 per million in 1999 to a peak of 10.5 per million in 2021 — translating to roughly 600 U.S. deaths in 2022 alone. Researchers have found that more than three-quarters of these pregnancy-related cardiovascular deaths are considered preventable with earlier diagnosis and treatment.
Cardio-obstetrics, a rapidly growing subspecialty, treats conditions including congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias, valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease, heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension and inherited cardiovascular disorders. The clinic accepts referrals for women planning pregnancy with known cardiovascular disease, pregnant women with heart conditions or concerning symptoms, and women who develop cardiovascular complications during pregnancy or postpartum.
This article discusses a serious health topic. Readers who are pregnant or postpartum and experiencing symptoms like the ones described should contact their doctor promptly rather than relying on this article for medical guidance.
