Maternal and Fetal Outcome After Cardiac Operations During Pregnancy: A Meta-Analysis

In the past, cardiac surgical procedures during pregnancy have been associated with a high risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Therefore, this meta-analysis of more recent studies was done to assess the fetomaternal risk after cardiac operations during pregnancy using cardiopulmonary bypass.

The MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane library were searched to find studies from January 1, 1990, to July 31, 2016, without language restriction. We selected studies that included at least 4 women to report fetomaternal outcomes after a cardiac operation using cardiopulmonary bypass during pregnancy. Two authors independently extracted data from the selected studies. The studies were assessed for methodological qualities using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The primary outcomes included maternal death and any pregnancy loss. The secondary outcomes were maternal complications and neonatal complications. Primary analysis calculated absolute risks and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for pregnancy outcomes using the DerSimonian-Laird random effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed by I² statistic and visual plot.

Ten studies, including 154 women, were eligible for inclusion in this study. The patients underwent cardiac operations during pregnancy involving cardiopulmonary bypass. As calculated per 100 pregnancies, the pooled unadjusted estimate of maternal mortality was 11.2 (95% CI, 6.8 to 17.8), pregnancy loss was 33.1 (95% CI, 25.1 to 41.2), maternal complications were 8.8 (95% CI, 2.8 to 24.2), and neonatal complications were 10.8 (95% CI, 4.2 to 25.2). The risks of preterm labor and cesarean delivery were 28 per 100 pregnancies (95% CI, 15.6 to 45) and 33.8 per 100 pregnancies (95% CI, 19.1 to 52.4), respectively.

The fetomaternal mortality and morbidity after a cardiac operation during pregnancy are higher than that reported in the earlier literature (PROSPERO No. CRD42016047093).