Electrocardiographic proarrhythmic changes in pregnancy of women with CHD.

OBJECTIVES: Pregnancy-related physiological adaptations result in increased heart rate as well as electrocardiographic changes such as a mean QTc prolongation of 27 ms. Pregnant women with CHD are at increased risk for cardiovascular complications. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for abnormally prolonged QTc interval-a risk factor for ventricular arrhythmias-in pregnant women with CHD. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Retrospective longitudinal single-centre study. Pre-pregnancy demographic and electrocardiographic risk factors for abnormal QTc duration during pregnancy of (a) > 460 ms and (b) >27 ms increase were analyzed. RESULTS: Eighty-three pregnancies in 63 women were included, of which three had documented arrhythmias. All five Modified World Health Organization Classification of Maternal Cardiovascular Risk (mWHO) classes were represented, with 15 pregnancies (18.1%) in mWHO class I, 26 (31.3%) in mWHO II, 28 (33.7%) in mWHO II-III, 11 (13.3%) in mWHO III, and three pregnancies (3.6%) in mWHO class IV. Heart rate and QTc interval increased, while QRS duration and PR interval shortened during pregnancy. QTc duration of > 460 ms was associated with increased pre-pregnancy QTc interval, QRS duration, and weight, as well as body mass index. QTc increase of > 27 ms was associated with increased heart rate prior to pregnancy. No significant associations of electrocardiographic changes with mWHO class or CHD type were identified. CONCLUSION: Increased QTc in pregnant women with CHD was associated with being overweight or having higher heart rate, QRS, or QTc duration prior to pregnancy. These patients should be monitored closely for arrhythmias during pregnancy.

Self-reported quality of life before, during, and after pregnancy in women with CHD.

BACKGROUND: Adults with CHD are a growing patient group and childbirth is a relatively new phenomenon. EQ-5D is commonly used to measure health-related quality of life. We sought to investigate EQ-5D status before, during, and after pregnancy in women with CHD. METHODS: We identified 128 pregnancies in 86 CHD women giving birth in Skåne County during 2009-2021. Repeated measures ANOVA was performed to test for differences between the five EQ-5D domains, EQ-VAS, and EQ-index over time points before, the second trimester, the third trimester, and after pregnancy. RESULTS: Mean age at estimated childbirth was 30.3 (± 4.7) years; 56.25% of births were vaginal deliveries and 43.75% were Caesarean sections. The cohort consisted of patients with double outlet right ventricle (4.7%), transposition (Mustard/Senning 2.3%, arterial switch 4.7%), aortic anomalies (19.5%), Fallot's anomaly (16.4%), single ventricle (3.9%), shunt lesions (11.7%), cardiomyopathies (4.7%), coronary anomalies (1.6%), arrythmias (0.8%), and valve lesions: aortic (19.5%), mitral (5.5%), and pulmonary (4.7%). The women reported significantly worse mobility (p = 0.007) and higher pain/discomfort (p = 0.049) at trimester 3 compared to before pregnancy. The women had lower EQ-5D index during trimester 3 compared to after pregnancy (p = 0.004). We saw worse mobility during Tri 2 comparing multiparity with primiparity (p = 0.046). Looking at delivery mode, we noted significantly higher anxiety/depression before pregnancy (p =0.023) in women that had a Caesarean section. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, women with CHD reported worse mobility and a higher pain level during Tri 3, although the overall health-related quality of life is acceptably high.

Increased cesarean section rate and premature birth according to modified WHO maternal cardiovascular risk in pregnant women with congenital heart disease.

BACKGROUND: During pregnancy and delivery, hemodynamics are altered and complex congenital heart disease has been associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. We sought to investigate pregnancy outcome and complications in relation to complexity of heart condition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied women with ACHD discussed at multidisciplinary conferences at Lund University Hospital March 2009-May 2021. We studied 149 pregnancies in 101 women. We scored each woman retrospectively according to the modified World Health Organization (mWHO) risk classification and included patients in risk class I (n = 36, 24.1%), II (n = 43, 28.9%), II-III (n = 43, 28.9%), III (n = 24, 16.1%) and IV (n = 3, 2.0%). RESULTS: Women with mWHO class ≥III underwent cesarean section more often than women in less complex mWHO classes, (OR, 5.1; 95% CI, 2.0-12.5; p<0.001). The odds of premature delivery were significantly higher among pregnant women with mWHO class ≥III (OR, 6.7; 95% CI, 2.6-17.4; p<0.001). We found no difference in incidence of preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, hemorrhage >1000 ml or cardiac defect in the neonate depending on WHO-class. Women in mWHO classes III-IV had a higher rate of fetal growth restriction (FGR) compared to women in mWHO classes I, II, II-III (p<0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that women with more complex heart disease (mWHO classes III or IV) tend to have a higher rate of cesarean section, premature birth and FGR.