ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATIC HEART DISEASE DURING LABOR AND DELIVERY / 重庆医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

Echocardiographic measuraments -were carried out in 53 patients with chronic rheumatic heart disease (RHD) during labor and delivery .Ten patients were delivered b-y cesarean section and tkree patients were delivered vaginally.Only mild alterations In maternal cardiovascular function were encountered undergoing cesarean section under epidural anesthesia,excepting a transient decline in blood pressure. A significant incre-, ase in blood pressure,heart rate and systemic vascular resistance were observed in t-he second stage of labor. A decrease in cardiac output was demonstrated at the same t-ime.Our results suggest that cesarean section as the mode of choice for delivery in pat- -, ients with, RHD is better than that of the vaginal delivery