Women with underlying heart conditions face increased risks during pregnancy. Not only is heart disease the number one killer of women outside of pregnancy – it is the number one killer of women in pregnancy.  

Katie Dalton shared her story with KSHB. She was diagnosed with an irregular heart rhythm at 14 years old, and was told that it wouldn't be an issue. She lived an active life without ever worrying about her heart.

She became pregnant and told her ob-gyn about her heart as her health history. She was sent to a cardiologist for testing to make sure she was healthy for pregnancy. She was diagnosed with heart failure and heart ejection fraction (which in the rate in which the heart pumps blood) was at 35%. Normal range for ejection fraction is 55-70%.

Katie came to Saint Luke's Heart Disease in Pregnancy Program where she was followed closely throughout her pregnancy by and was treated for heart failure.

Watch her story and hear from Dr. Karen Florio, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Saint Luke's Heart Disease in Pregnancy Program, about what to look for and when you should reach out to your doctor.