Maternal and perinatal outcome of pregnancies complicated by cardiac disease

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the maternal and perinatal outcome of pregnancies complicated by cardiac disease in a tertiary care center in Egypt. Methods: During a 1-year period, a total of 86 pregnant women with cardiac disease were admitted. Maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality were calculated and compared with a control group. Results: Seventy-seven (89.5%) patients were due to rheumatic affection, and 60 patients were classified as NYHA classes I-II. There was one case of maternal mortality (1.16%), and 10 other cases developed life-threatening complications. Two perinatal mortalities (2.32%) occurred in this series. Birth weight of babies born to mothers with functional classes III and IV were significantly lower than those of functional classes I-II and control group. Conclusion: Rheumatic heart disease with pregnancy is still predominant in Egypt. Maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality are strongly correlated to maternal cardiac functional classification. (c) 2005 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.