What presentation is characteristic of peripartum cardiomyopathy?

The characteristic presentation of peripartum cardiomyopathy includes edema and fatigue occurring in the last month of pregnancy. This condition typically affects women in the final months of gestation or within months following delivery and is defined by heart failure with reduced systolic function that cannot be attributed to other causes.

During the last month of pregnancy, many women may experience increased fluid retention due to physiological changes, but in the case of peripartum cardiomyopathy, this fluid retention and fatigue become pronounced and are associated with heart failure symptoms. The body is under significant cardiovascular stress during this time, which can lead to new-onset heart failure.

While other options mention symptoms related to cardiac issues, they are not as specifically indicative of peripartum cardiomyopathy as is the combination of significant edema and fatigue in the context of late pregnancy. This reflects the unique pathophysiological changes that occur during and immediately after pregnancy, distinguishing peripartum cardiomyopathy from other cardiac events that might occur in this population.