Pre-conception heart check

Heart-related complications during pregnancy

Pregnancy can put extra stress on the heart as the body adapts to accommodate for the growing foetus. As a result, pregnant women with underlying heart conditions are considered high risk, as complications are more likely.

Complications include premature delivery, preeclampsia (high blood pressure and protein in the urine) and irregular heartbeat. A high-risk pregnancy doesn’t mean you will experience complications, it just means you should be monitored more closely to avoid, manage or treat complications that could arise.

Who is a pre-conception heart check for?

Our service is aimed at women who are planning a pregnancy, who may be at greater risk of heart-related complications. This includes women who:

• have a history, or family history, of any heart problem
• have been diagnosed with diabetes
• have an increased BMI
• have a history of high blood pressure or preeclampsia
• have previously undergone chemotherapy, which can affect the heart
• have an increased risk during pregnancy because of their age

View our page on high-risk pregnancy to find out more about what can impact your pregnancy.

Our service is also for men with inherited heart problems, which could be passed on to their children.

If you have concerns about your pregnancy or your health, our maternity specialists are here to listen and help. Complete the form on this page to arrange an appointment and receive expert guidance.

What does a pre-conception heart check involve?

We will put together a care plan depending on the individual needs of our patients. However, there are diagnostic tests which we commonly perform on each patient to rule out, or identify risks:

• Echocardiogram (echo): A test which uses ultrasound to inspect your heart and its surrounding valves.
• Electrocardiogram (ECG): A test which measures the electrical activity of the heart, including regularity of heart beats.

Echo and ECG tests are commonly used as part of initial pre‑conception heart screening. They are safe, non‑invasive tests that can be carried out during pregnancy.

From there, your care will be guided by your personal health needs. Our specialist cardio‑obstetric team works closely together to support you before pregnancy, throughout pregnancy and after birth.

If you’d like to talk through your next steps, fill in our online enquiry form to arrange an appointment with our specialists.

Referrals to our pre-conception heart check

Our pre‑conception heart check service supports the early identification and management of cardiac conditions that may affect pregnancy outcomes. We welcome referrals for women planning a pregnancy, those with existing cardiovascular risk factors, and patients identified as potentially higher risk during pre‑conception counselling or fertility planning.

Who can refer to this service?

We accept referrals from:

• general practitioners (GPs)
• consultant obstetricians and gynaecologists
• cardiologists and physicians managing long‑term conditions
• fertility specialists and fertility clinics
• other healthcare professionals involved in pre‑conception or antenatal care

Referring clinicians can use this service to support:

• risk stratification before pregnancy
• pre‑conception counselling for women with known or suspected heart disease assessment following abnormal findings, symptoms, or family history of cardiac conditions

Self‑referrals

We also accept self‑referrals for patients who are:

• self‑funding
• covered by private medical insurance
• sponsored by an embassy or international payer

Self‑referred patients receive the same consultant‑led, multidisciplinary assessment and onward care as patients referred by a clinician.

What referrers can expect

Patients referred to our pre‑conception heart check will receive:

• a consultant‑led cardiology assessment with expertise in maternal and cardio‑obstetric care
• baseline cardiac investigations, typically including echocardiogram (echo) and electrocardiogram (ECG)
• risk assessment and clear guidance on pregnancy planning and monitoring
• coordinated onward referral into maternity, fetal medicine, or cardiology services where required

Our multidisciplinary cardio‑obstetric team works closely with referring clinicians to ensure continuity of care before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and after delivery where appropriate.

To refer a patient for a pre‑conception heart check or to discuss suitability for this service, please complete the referral form on this page or contact our specialist team for advice on next steps.