Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is defined as heart failure secondary to left ventricular systolic dysfunction recognized 1 month prior to childbirth or in the 5 months following childbirth without another identifiable cause in a patient with no known previous structural heart disease.
1 In the US, the incidence of PPCM ranges from 1 in 1000 to 1 in 4000 live births and likely is increasing.
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