Maternal congenital heart disease and pregnancy outcome.

OBJECTIVE

To study the obstetrics and neonatal outcome of women with congenital heart disease.

METHOD: This is a retrospective study of 85 women with congenital cardiac disease. Data collected include maternal characteristics, New York Heart Association Class, cardiac complications and obstetric and neonatal outcome.

RESULTS

The maternal and neonatal outcomes were excellent with no maternal and perinatal mortality. The main cardiac lesions were mitral valve prolapse (60.8%), atrial septal defect (8.6%), ventricle septal defect (6.5%) and aortic regurgitation (4.3%) and 2.1% each of tricuspid regurgitation, pulmonary regurgitation, Ebstein's anomaly, coarctation of aorta, patent ductus arteriosus, and Eisenmenger's syndrome. Six deliveries were associated with New York Heart Association deterioration. Compared to the general obstetric population, more women in the study group were primigravida, had pregnancy induced hypertension, underwent instrumental vaginal deliveries and caesarean sections and had more babies with lower birth weights.

CONCLUSION

Despite potential difficulties and complications associated with congenital heart disease, careful cardiac and obstetric management in a tertiary referal centre resulted in good maternal and fetal outcomes.