HC offers specialized care for pregnant women with cardiological monitoring

Pregnant, Victoria Leandra Ferreira Sá, 23 years old, resident of Cabanagem, is under investigation to confirm a possible heart condition at the Gaspar Vianna Clinical Hospital (HC) in Belém. Victoria has a high-risk pregnancy and is undergoing tests to clarify symptoms such as fatigue, palpitations, and increased heart rate, while maintaining monitoring of the baby, who is in good health.

The care is provided at the obstetric clinic through the Day Clinic, a model that offers multiprofessional monitoring without the need for prolonged hospitalization. “The patient arrives in the morning, undergoes consultations, exams, and guidance, receives all meals for the day, and returns home in the late afternoon. This ensures clinical control and well-being, preserving family interaction,” explained obstetrician Laises Braga, who coordinates the Obstetric Clinic at HC.

“The routine starts early, around 6:30 AM, the patient is welcomed in triage, where vital signs are checked and an electrocardiogram is performed. Then, she goes through the Triage Service (SAT), with the issuance of an emergency report, and goes up to the third floor for risk classification. In the office, the medical team performs a physical examination, cardiac and pulmonary auscultation, obstetric evaluation, and requests tests such as ultrasound, echocardiogram, and electrocardiogram. In specific cases, fetal echocardiogram, stress test, Holter, or ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (MAPA) may be requested,” detailed Laises.

HC provides the Day Clinic

While waiting, the pregnant woman and her companion receive morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack, remaining in the Day Clinic space until the end of the appointment, usually between 4 PM and 5 PM. In the afternoon, after the exams are completed, the patients are evaluated by the obstetrician and the cardiologist. Based on the results, the team determines the need for immediate hospitalization, follow-up with scheduled returns, or just monitoring until delivery.

“In cases of complementary exams such as Holter or MAPA, the patient returns on a scheduled date for the placement of the device, remaining again in the Day Clinic during the procedure. The result is obtained directly by the team, which schedules the consultation with the cardiologist for the same day the report is available. About 80% to 90% of patients resolve the entire process in just one day, while the remaining cases are resolved within a week,” added Laises.

In addition to speed, the service shows significant results. According to Laises Braga, in 2022, 100% of the pregnant women attended were not included in the high-risk prenatal program, and 53.6% of them needed hospitalization. With the consolidation of the Day Clinic, in 2024, only 2.5% of patients needed to return for monitoring of heart conditions or fetal vitality, and from that group, only 15 required hospitalization. About 75% of pregnant women do not need additional hospital follow-up.

Assistance reduces the need for hospitalizations

The reduction of hospitalizations is one of the main positive impacts, combined with the increase in patient satisfaction levels, who benefit from humanized care, the presence of a companion, and adequate infrastructure, including comfortable chairs during the appointment.

For pregnant woman Juliana Fernanda Gomes, 20 years old, resident of Santa Isabel, the service was essential to expedite her treatment. She was diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia.

“It has been good because it is very useful and here the service is quick. We arrive, are attended to, and leave relieved, knowing we can count on this follow-up,” she highlighted.

Lorraine Sanches, from São Miguel do Guamá, 24 years old, is 31 weeks pregnant and was referred by the Santa Casa do Pará for investigation of a maternal and fetal heart condition. She states that she feels welcomed at HC.

“The service here at Gaspar Vianna Hospital is wonderful, everyone is kind and understanding, I am loving the care from everyone, I feel very welcomed,” she declares.

The service provided by HC ensures that pregnant women with heart conditions receive quick and accurate diagnoses, allowing for timely interventions and safely planned deliveries.

Service — The Gaspar Vianna Clinical Hospital is an institution focused on assisting users of the Unified Health System (SUS) in the fields of Psychiatry, Cardiology, and Nephrology, created to ensure the population solutions in outpatient and hospital care of medium and high complexity with excellence and humanism, as well as to contribute to teaching and research.

HC also has an obstetric clinic service. For care in this area, a medical referral is required, which can be obtained through a Basic Health Unit and/or via Regulation.

Text by Kelly Barros / Ascom HC