Pregnancy Outcomes and Risk Evaluation in a Contemporary Adult Congenital Heart Disease Cohort

More women with congenital heart disease (CHD) are surviving to childbearing age. In this population, pregnancy results in a higher rate of adverse events for the mother and offspring. We sought to evaluate outcomes in our cohort and relate these to previously developed risk classifications.

We retrospectively reviewed all pregnancies occurring in our tertiary referral centre CHD cohort between 2007 and 2019 resulting in data from 128 pregnancies in 89 women. The mean age was 29±6 years. Underlying cardiac diagnoses were grouped according to the ESC Registry of Pregnancy and Cardiac disease (ROPAC) classification and baseline risk assessed as per the modified WHO classification.

There were a wide range of underlying diagnoses and large number of moderate to high risk pregnancies with 57 (44.5%) classified as mWHO III or IV. There were no maternal deaths. The mean gestation at delivery was 37 weeks. The majority delivered vaginally. Adverse events occurred in 80 pregnancies (63%). Cardiovascular events in 21 (16%), obstetric 54 (42%) and neonatal 52 (41%). Common events included premature labour and delivery in 21 pregnancies (16%); post-partum haemorrhage in 33 (26%), small for gestational age infants in 38 (30%) and admission to the NICU in 23 (18%). Event rates increased in women classified as higher risk by mWHO group.

Women with CHD have increased rates of adverse cardiovascular, obstetric and neonatal events in pregnancy. As expected, adverse outcomes occur more frequently in higher risk mWHO groups.