Pregnancy in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome

Abstract

Introduction: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a rare disease characterized by syncope, sinus tachycardia, and orthostasis due to autonomic dysfunction.

Methods and results: Two women aged 26 and 24 years with severe POTS became pregnant. Both women experienced hyperemesis gravidarum with subsequent marked improvement in their POTS symptoms until 6 months gestation, when their syncope and sinus tachycardia caused clinical decompensation. Both patients delivered healthy babies at 37 weeks by elective cesarean section.

Conclusion: In long-term follow-up, both women reported improvement in their prepartum symptoms. We describe the first report, to our knowledge, of two successful pregnancy outcomes in severe POTS, including the first report of midodrine use in pregnant women.