Pregnancy complicated by maternal cardiac disease

ABSTRACT

Forty pregnancies complicated by maternal cardiac disease were reviewed. Thirty-eight per cent were of congenital origin and sixty-two per cent rheumatic valvular. No therapeutic abortions were performed. No pregnancy was complicated by bacterial endocarditis, and there were neither perinatal nor maternal mortalities. Cardiac failure (17% ) occurred only with mitral stenosis, specially when associated with other valvular lesions. Obstetrical complications were minimal, and the spontaneous abortation rate (12.5% ) was not higher than for non-cardiac parturients. General anaesthesia was used for all Caesarian Sections (26.5% ) with no adverse outcome. This study reflects the remarkable good maternal and foetal prognosis in pregnancies complicated by cardiac disease