A mum-of-two has a rare disease which means she’s at risk of heart failure if she has a third baby. Rebecca Smith, 35, has peripartum cardiomyopathy, which affects the heart in the last trimester of pregnancy or shortly after giving birth. This was missed by doctors when she was pregnant with her first son, Nathan, who she gave birth to in 2007, as doctors told her she had anxiety.
Image Credit: Metro [Rebecca Smith with her eldest son Nathan in 2008. Release date January 12 2025. A mum-of-two has a rare disease which means pregnancy could kill her - and has been warned she may die if she has a third baby. Rebecca Smith, 35, suffers from peripartum cardiomyopathy - a rare disease in the UK which affects the function of the heart, in the last trimester before giving birth or shortly afterwards. This was missed by medical professionals during her first pregnancy, and only caught after she???d given birth to her eldest son, Nathan, on April 21, 2007. Despite being told to ???prepare for the worst,??? Rebecca made a full recovery - but the disease relapsed during her second pregnancy, in 2024.]
She made a full recovery after the illness was discovered, despite doctors warning she should ‘prepare for the worst’. However the disease returned during her second pregnancy last year, and after giving birth to her second child, Rowan, on November 27, she was prescribed nine different medications she’ll need to take for the rest of her life.
Image Credit: Metro [Rebecca Smith with son Rowan. Release date January 12 2025. A mum-of-two has a rare disease which means pregnancy could kill her - and has been warned she may die if she has a third baby. Rebecca Smith, 35, suffers from peripartum cardiomyopathy - a rare disease in the UK which affects the function of the heart, in the last trimester before giving birth or shortly afterwards. This was missed by medical professionals during her first pregnancy, and only caught after she???d given birth to her eldest son, Nathan, on April 21, 2007. Despite being told to ???prepare for the worst,??? Rebecca made a full recovery - but the disease relapsed during her second pregnancy, in 2024.]
Now Rebecca, a clinical support worker from Lancaster, is warning pregnant women of the importance of catching this disease early. She said: ‘There’s such little knowledge of this disease – I was even told I had anxiety, the first time around. ‘But I wasn’t anxious, I was dying.
Image Credit: Metro [Rebecca Smith with son Rowan. Release date January 12 2025. A mum-of-two has a rare disease which means pregnancy could kill her - and has been warned she may die if she has a third baby. Rebecca Smith, 35, suffers from peripartum cardiomyopathy - a rare disease in the UK which affects the function of the heart, in the last trimester before giving birth or shortly afterwards. This was missed by medical professionals during her first pregnancy, and only caught after she?d given birth to her eldest son, Nathan, on April 21, 2007. Despite being told to ?prepare for the worst,? Rebecca made a full recovery - but the disease relapsed during her second pregnancy, in 2024.]
‘It’s crucial for pregnant women to catch this early – I’ll have to be on my treatment regime for the rest of my life.’. During her first pregnancy, Rebecca was presenting classic symptoms of heart failure – like swollen feet, constant tiredness and shortness of breath.
![[Rebecca Smith with her eldest son Nathan in 2008. Release date January 12 2025. A mum-of-two has a rare disease which means pregnancy could kill her - and has been warned she may die if she has a third baby. Rebecca Smith, 35, suffers from peripartum cardiomyopathy - a rare disease in the UK which affects the function of the heart, in the last trimester before giving birth or shortly afterwards. This was missed by medical professionals during her first pregnancy, and only caught after she???d given birth to her eldest son, Nathan, on April 21, 2007. Despite being told to ???prepare for the worst,??? Rebecca made a full recovery - but the disease relapsed during her second pregnancy, in 2024.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_235719560-2963.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
![[Rebecca Smith with son Rowan. Release date January 12 2025. A mum-of-two has a rare disease which means pregnancy could kill her - and has been warned she may die if she has a third baby. Rebecca Smith, 35, suffers from peripartum cardiomyopathy - a rare disease in the UK which affects the function of the heart, in the last trimester before giving birth or shortly afterwards. This was missed by medical professionals during her first pregnancy, and only caught after she???d given birth to her eldest son, Nathan, on April 21, 2007. Despite being told to ???prepare for the worst,??? Rebecca made a full recovery - but the disease relapsed during her second pregnancy, in 2024.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_235719670-de47.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
![[Rebecca Smith with son Rowan. Release date January 12 2025. A mum-of-two has a rare disease which means pregnancy could kill her - and has been warned she may die if she has a third baby. Rebecca Smith, 35, suffers from peripartum cardiomyopathy - a rare disease in the UK which affects the function of the heart, in the last trimester before giving birth or shortly afterwards. This was missed by medical professionals during her first pregnancy, and only caught after she?d given birth to her eldest son, Nathan, on April 21, 2007. Despite being told to ?prepare for the worst,? Rebecca made a full recovery - but the disease relapsed during her second pregnancy, in 2024.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEI_235719667-a25c.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
