Obstetrical outcomes in cases of maternal heart disease with a risk of cardiac decompensation: A retrospective study since the establishment of a multidisciplinary consultation meeting “heart and pregnancy”

Abstract

BackgroundPregnant women with chronic heart failure (CHF) are at increased risk for cardiac complications. However, the frequency of obstetrical and neonatal complications in pregnant women with CHF remains unclear. ObjectiveThe objective of our study was to describe obstetrical and neonatal outcomes in pregnant with CHF. MethodThis single-center retrospective cohort study involves pregnant women with a CHF who delivered at Jeanne de Flandre, the Lille's university hospital, from 2017 to 2021. The frequency of obstetrical, neonatal, and cardiovascular complications was collected. ResultDuring this period, we identified 26 pregnant women with a CHF. The main cardiac diseases responsible for CHF were cardiomyopathies (53.8%) and congenital heart disease (46.2%). Acute heart failure occurred in 30.8% of the cases and mainly concerned patients with no follow-up of their heart disease. The main obstetrical complications were fetal growth restriction (38.5%) and premature rupture of fetal membranes (19.2%). The 26 pregnancies comprised 25 live births and 1 stillbirth. Newborn infants were delivered via cesarean in 69.2%. Of the live births, 60% were preterm at a median gestational age of 36 (34–38) weeks. ConclusionPregnant women with CHF had a higher risk for obstetrical and neonatal outcomes.