Cardiac arrhythmias developed in healthy women during or post pregnancy: Scoping review

<p dir="ltr">Pregnant and postpartum women are at risk of developing cardiac arrhythmias. There is negligible published research on the development of peripartum and postpartum electrophysiological complications in previously healthy women. The purpose of this scoping review was to map existing evidence about cardiac arrhythmia development in previously healthy pregnant or postpartum women and provide an overview of prevalence and underlying mechanisms on this topic. Using JBI methodology, we completed systematic searches in CINAHL, Medline, and Healthstar databases, and a multi-step screening process; thirteen articles were included. Thematic analysis revealed three themes: 1) Electrocardiography and cardiac findings; 2) Hemodynamic, autonomic, and hormonal changes in pregnancy; and 3) Conflicting information on the effect of maternal age on cardiac arrhythmias. Nursing awareness of the risk for cardiac arrhythmias during pregnancy is imperative to ensure timely intervention. As well, qualitative exploration of previously healthy women’s lived experiences with cardiac arrhythmias is warranted.</p>