The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) has issued new clinical guidance in its Consult Series #73, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, focused on the diagnosis and management of right and left heart failure during pregnancy and postpartum. The guidance emphasizes the importance of prepregnancy counseling, multidisciplinary care teams, and referrals to specialized centers to improve maternal and newborn outcomes.

Heart disease remains a leading cause of pregnancy-related mortality in the United States, with heart failure significantly contributing to maternal deaths and complications. The burden is disproportionately high among non-Hispanic Black individuals. Heart failure, characterized by the heart's inability to effectively pump blood, can also rai

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