Heart function in pregnant women carrying babies with heart defects

Researchers want to understand how a mother's heart function changes during pregnancy when her baby has been diagnosed with a congenital heart defect (a structural problem with the baby's heart present from birth). This study will measure specific aspects of how your heart is working at different points during your pregnancy and shortly after delivery, using a non-invasive ultrasound technique called USCOM. The goal is to learn whether changes in the mother's heart function are connected to complications like preeclampsia (dangerous high blood pressure in pregnancy) and whether this information could help doctors better care for mothers and babies in similar situations.

When a baby has a congenital heart defect, the pregnancy can sometimes be more complicated for the mother, including higher risks of dangerous blood pressure problems. Doctors don't fully understand why this happens or how the mother's heart function is affected. This study aims to fill that gap so that doctors can better predict and manage these complications in future pregnancies.