Does pregnancy contribute to systemic right ventricular dysfunction in adults with an atrial switch operation?

To determine whether pregnancy might impact adversely on long-term outcomes in adults post an atrial switch repair on the background of data demonstrating an increased rate of heart failure and death in these adults with systemic right ventricles.

We retrospectively analysed our adult population with an atrial switch repair for transposition of the great arteries to see whether any differences in outcomes (sudden cardiac death, heart failure admissions, use of heart failure medications) existed between women who had and women who had not undergone pregnancy. Controls from the remaining population (transposition of the great arteries and atrial switch operation women) were elected as long as their year of birth fell into the year of birth range seen in the patient group.

In women with transposition of the great arteries who have had an atrial switch repair, the long-term occurrence of sudden cardiac death and clinical heart failure (defined as a need for prescription of anti-failure medications or heart failure admissions) appears to be increased.

Pregnancy may have an adverse effect on long-term outcomes in women with systemic right ventricles.