Management of the Pregnant Woman with Congenital Heart Disease

As the number of adult patients with CHD increase, so do the number of women of childbearing age. While maternal mortality rates are low, women with CHD have higher rates of cardiac complications during pregnancy. Pregnancy among the CHD population should involve: (1) a multidisciplinary approach between cardiology, obstetrics, and anesthesiology, (2) patient education beginning with preconception counseling and contraception management, and (3) close monitoring during gestation and through the postpartum period. Each pregnancy course should be individually tailored, depending on the patient’s structural disease, current state of health and comorbidities. With appropriate risk factor stratification and multidisciplinary management, a successful pregnancy can be an achievable goal for many women with CHD.