The first reason for this is related to lifestyle in general. High rates of conditions like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, hyperlipidemia and metabolic syndrome have concurrently added to the population of pregnant women with acquired heart disease, including coronary artery disease.

Elise Turner, a nurse midwife and associate professor at Mississippi's Belhaven University, attributes obesity to many pregnancy complications, telling CNN it is a "tremendous piece" of the problem.  

Couple obesity and its complications with the natural stresses that pregnancy puts on the body, and it's a recipe for disaster. “Physiologic changes occurring during pregnancy can stress a compromised cardiovascular system, resulting in maternal morbidity, mortality and compromised fetal outcomes,” according to Medscape.  

So beware of cardiovascular issues during pregnancy. Make routine healthcare a priority and tell your doctor about any history of cardiovascular disease in both your own health and your family’s health in general.

2.            Hemorrhage

We often hear about hemorrhaging on episodes of Grey’s Anatomy and reruns of ER. But we rarely think about how this affects pregnant women in real life.

Experts say that hemorrhaging occurs as a result of a massive amount of uncontrolled bleeding during childbirth. While many hemorrhages are treatable, a hemorrhage can become life-threatening if too much blood is lost. Specifically, this is the loss of more than a pint of blood.