Abstract

Advances in medical treatment over the past decades have led to the situation where more than 80% of congenital heart disease infants survive and reach adulthood. The burden of pregnancy represents a new challenge for women with congenital heart disease. The risk for these pregnant women are symptomatic arrhythmia, stroke, pulmonary oedema, overt heart failure or death. Also the incidence of fetal and neonatal adverse events, including intrauterine growth restriction, premature birth, intracranial haemorrhage and fetal loss, is higher for women with con genital heart disease compared with general population. These risks are the highest in women with low functional class (NYHA), cyanosis, and left heart obstruction to flow and increase with any other obstetric risk factors involved. Adequate care during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum requires a multidisciplinary team approach involving cardiologists, obstetricians, and anaesthetists. Successful pregnancy is feasible for most women with congenital heart disease when appropriate counselling and optimal care are provided.