Heart Disease During Pregnancy: Tonya’s Story

Heart disease and stroke cause 1 in 3 deaths among women each year – more than all cancers combined. Heart disease during pregnancy, like Tonya Hayes experienced, is especially serious, since it is a leading cause of pregnancy complications. That’s why UNC Health cardiologists and maternal-fetal medicine specialists teamed up to treat pregnant patients at the Women’s Health and Heart Clinic at UNC Rex.

“Pregnancy heart care is a team sport,” says Dr. Johanna Quist-Nelson, MD, maternal-fetal medicine specialist with UNC Maternal-Fetal Medicine. “We need each other. I could never have provided Tonya the care she needed without my colleagues in cardiology, nursing, OB anesthesia – we work together to be able to provide what our patients ultimately need.”

Hear how Dr. Quist-Nelson and Dr. Ashley Lewis helped Tonya have a smooth and safe delivery.