Final answer:
Pregnant women with pulmonary hypertension have an increased risk of mortality, comparable to risks associated with cardiovascular diseases and serious infections. Mortality can also be amplified by exposures to smoking and poor air quality, both of which can cause serious harm to maternal and fetal health.
Step-by-step explanation:
Pregnant women with pulmonary hypertension (PH) have a high risk of mortality, both due to the stress of pregnancy on the cardiovascular system and the potential for exacerbating PH. Other conditions with similar mortality risks include cardiovascular diseases, infections that can be severe during pregnancy, and the effects of teratogens such as thalidomide.
Exposure to smoking, substance use, and living in environments with poor air quality can also lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes and increased mortality risks. Pulmonary hypertension is a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart. In pregnancy, PH can pose a significant risk because it increases the workload on the heart, and this risk is amplified when combined with the physiological changes and increased blood volume associated with pregnancy.