ABSTRACT
Palpitations, "awareness of the heartbeat" are the most common cardiac-related complaint in general, and arrhythmias are one of the most frequently encountered cardiac diagnoses in pregnancy. Typically, arrhythmias are due to a preexisting cardiac disease; however, it is not uncommon to see new-onset arrhythmias in women without evidence of a structural cardiac defect. Pregnancy by virtue of its hormonal milieu may aggravate previously well-controlled arrhythmias or may unmask an undiagnosed cardiac condition, with arrhythmia being the initial/presenting manifestation. The exact etiology of the de novo arrhythmia in pregnancy is unclear; however, it is likely based on the hemodynamic, hormonal, and autonomic alterations of pregnancy. Premature atrial contractions (PACs) are frequently encountered in pregnancy. Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) is the most common sustained arrhythmia encountered during pregnancy and is the most common arrhythmia in a structurally normal heart.
