Outcomes of Pregnancy in Women With Bioprosthetic Heart Valves With or Without Valve Dysfunction

Valvular Heart Disease in Pregnancy

Valvular heart disease is a common cause of peripartum cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The hemodynamic changes of pregnancy and their impact on preexisting valvular lesions are described in this paper. Tools for calculation of maternal and fetal risk during pregnancy are also discussed. The pathophysiology and management of valvular lesions, both obstructive and regurgitant, are then described, followed by discussion of mechanical and bioprosthetic valve complications during pregnancy.

Pregnancy Considerations in Tetralogy of Fallot

The majority of women with repaired tetralogy of Fallot are able to tolerate pregnancy with a low risk of cardiovascular events. However, proactive contraceptive advice, prepregnancy counselling, and care by a pregnancy heart team with expertise in congenital heart disease are key to ensuring a good outcome for mother and baby. Maternal and fetal risks are increased in the presence of severe valvular stenosis, poorly tolerated arrhythmia, significant ventricular dysfunction, and cyanosis. It is unusual to see cyanotic adults with tetralogy of Fallot, whether unoperated or shunt palliated; pregnancy risks are greatly reduced by completing their repair before pregnancy is undertaken. The multidisciplinary pregnancy heart team should make a risk-stratified pregnancy care plan using a combination of published scoring systems and an individualized assessment of the patient's comorbidities. Low-risk patients may have the majority of their care and give birth in local units, whereas those at high risk should be managed and give birth in a tertiary centre with high-level expertise and intensive care facilities. Age-appropriate conversations about future childbearing and safe and reliable contraception should be part of routine follow-up from teenage years, so that women with tetralogy of Fallot can control their own fertility and make informed decisions about having children.

Reproductive Health in Congenital Heart Disease: Preconception, Pregnancy, and Postpartum

The prevalence of congenital heart disease (CHD) in pregnancy is rising due to the improved survival of patients with CHD into childbearing age. The profound physiological changes that occur during pregnancy may worsen or unmask CHD, affecting both mother and fetus. Successful management of CHD during pregnancy requires knowledge of both the physiological changes of pregnancy and the potential complications of congenital heart lesions. Care of the CHD patient should be based on a multidisciplinary team approach beginning with preconception counseling and continuing into conception, pregnancy, and postpartum periods. This review summarizes the published data, available guidelines and recommendations for the care of CHD during pregnancy.