Cardiovascular disease and pregnancy

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is the most important non-obstetric cause of disability and death in pregnant women, occurring in 1% of pregnancies. The added hemodynamic burden of pregnancy, labor and delivery can aggravate symptoms and precipitate complications in women with pre-existent cardiac disease. Additionally, it can reveal an underlying unknown pathology. The authors present three cases of pregnant women with mechanical prosthetic valve, cyanotic congenital heart disease and intracardiac shunt. Antenatal, labor and postpartum obstetric management is subject of debate.