Congenital heart disease in pregnancy.
review · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 19629245.
- Also identified by DOI 10.3238/arztebl.2008.0347 and PMC identifier PMC1729784.
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Pregnancy, birth, and the puerperium are associated with significant physiological changes and adaptations in the cardiovascular system, which pose a significant risk to pregnant women with congenital heart disease (CHD). Thanks to advances in pediatric cardiac surgery and cardiology the majority of children with CHD survive to adulthood, and an increasing number eventually become pregnant. In fact, cardiac disease - mostly congenital - is now a leading cause of maternal death in western industrialized countries. METHODS: Selective literature review. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Optimal care of women with CHD before, during, and after pregnancy requires a multidisciplinary team including obstetricians, cardiologists, and anaesthetists. Successful pregnancy at a minimum risk is feasible for most women with CHD when appropriate counseling and optimal care are provided.