cardiomyopathy with pancytopenia in a pregnancy: case reports

Anemia, a common symptom in pregnancy, can lead to life-threatening cardiomyopathy. a 30-years old gravida 2 para 1 woman was admitted at 34 weeks of gestational age with asymptomatic pancytopenia and vitamin b12 deficiency in the laboratory tests. she also had a diet-controlled gestational diabetes, megaloblastic changes in bone marrow aspiration and cardiomyopathy shown by echocardiography. the patient recovered from pancytopenia and cardiomyopathy after one week treatment with vitamin b12 and folate. in this case, cardiomyopathy worsened with anemia. by treating vitamin b12 deficiency, cardiomyopathy can be prevented or controlled during pregnancy. careful consideration is needed when assessing anemia in pregnant women on vegetarian diet and at higher risk.