Frequency of maternal complications in pregnancy with cardiac disease

Objective: to determine the frequency of maternal complications in pregnancy with cardiac disease. study design: descriptive case series subjects & methodology: this study was conducted at the department of obstetrics and gynaecology,services hospital,lahore during one year (from june 2011 to june 2012,fifty-two pregnant women having cardiac disease with gestational amenorrhea for more than 28 weeks. age ranged from 20 to 35 years. the patients were seen in antenatal clinic every two week until 28 weeks,and weekly until onset of the labour. maternal outcome was assessed by the complications. results: mean age of the patients was 30.9±4.8 year. non-cardiac maternal complications were as follows: anaemia in 6(11.5%),pih in 4 patients (7.7%),abruption placenta and pph in 1 patient (1.9%). similarly,cardiac maternal complications developed as follows: pulmonary oedema in 6 patients (11.5%),atrial fibrillation in 2 patients (3.8%),bacterial endocarditis in 3 patients (5.8%). conclusion: the care of pregnant women who have cardiac disease is challenging. pre-conceptional counselling is critical. use of a well-informed multidisciplinary team,with close communication throughout pregnancy,is necessary to achieve the best possible outcome for the woman and her baby.