Pregnancy and delivery in women with congenital heart disease

Abstract

Because of the growing population of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), most maternal cardiac disease is now congenital in origin. For women with complex CHD, pregnancy poses an increased risk for both the mother, with complications of arrhythmias and heart failure being the most common, and the baby, with a higher chance of miscarriage, intrauterine growth retardation, and the need for early delivery. Pre-pregnancy counseling must be performed by cardiologists who have expertise in both CHD and pregnancy, with a detailed clinical assessment of the patient and the current hemodynamic situation, including echocardiography and an exercise test. In each case the approach must be individualized with consideration of the risks in each case. In some cases, such as Eisenmenger syndrome, pregnancy is contraindicated. Optimum outcomes in these complex patients are achieved when a multidisciplinary approach is used, involving maternal-fetal medicine specialists, cardiologists with expertise in CHD and obstetric anesthesia.