ABSTRACT
Dyspnea, or shortness of breath, is a common complaint in pregnancy, reported by up to 70% of pregnant women. The American Thoracic Society defines dyspnea as "a subjective experience of breathing discomfort that consists of qualitatively distinct sensations that vary in intensity". The etiologies of dyspnea of pregnancy can be benign or life threatening, and rapid and effective triage is essential. This chapter reviews the common causes of dyspnea and offer initial diagnostic and treatment options. Routine adaptations of pregnancy can mask signs and symptoms of pathological dyspnea and increase susceptibility to the more dangerous etiologies of dyspnea. The hypercoagulability of pregnancy increases the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), increased venous return following delivery can unmask cardiac pathology, and pregnancy-specific pathologies such as amniotic fluid embolus complicate the workup for dyspnea of pregnancy.
