"A couple came in whose local care provider told them they should never become pregnant," says Abigail Khan, M.D., a cardiologist who specializes in heart disease in women. "We told them that pregnancy was a possibility." 

With the right pre-pregnancy planning and pregnancy care, most women with heart conditions or heart disease can have safe, successful pregnancies. The OHSU Center for Women's Health brings these patients all the care they need in one clinic, the Maternal Cardiac Program.

Advance planning is key 

While it's never too late in pregnancy for a patient to come to the clinic, women with heart conditions or heart disease do best when they make a plan for their pregnancy in advance.

Even if pregnancy is a long-term goal or if pregnancy prevention is a patient's priority, the Maternal Cardiac Program can help. Dr. Khan can counsel women about the risks they could face if they became pregnant, no matter their goal.

"We want patients to be well-informed and decide for themselves, based on the risks, whether pregnancy is right for them," says Dr. Khan.