Outcomes of Maternal Supraventricular Tachycardia During Pregnancy

While supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is generally considered benign, recent data suggest that SVT during pregnancy may be associated with adverse outcomes.

We queried the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2016 to 2021 to identify pregnancy-related hospitalizations with a diagnosis of SVT. Diagnoses, patient characteristics, and endpoints were ascertained using ICD-10 codes. Out of 23.5 million pregnancy-related hospitalizations, 30 215 (0.14%) included a diagnosis of SVT. Patients with SVT were older and had a higher prevalence of cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular comorbidities. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in women with SVT (0.55 vs. 0.01%, p < 0.001). After adjustment for baseline differences, in-hospital mortality remained significantly higher in women with SVT (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.68, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.94-7.46). Risk of cardiogenic shock (aOR 4.67, 95% CI: 3.12-7.00), need for mechanical circulatory support (aOR 4.93, 95% CI: 2.93-8.30) and incidence of pre-eclampsia or eclampsia (aOR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.04-1.24) were also greater in women with SVT. Of the 30 215 hospitalizations with SVT, only 190 women underwent ablation during hospitalization (0.63%). Among pregnant women undergoing ablation, the incidence of in-hospital mortality was too low to report per NIS guidelines (n < 10).

A diagnosis of SVT was present in 0.14% of pregnancy-related hospitalizations and was associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality, cardiogenic shock, need for mechanical circulatory support, and pre-eclampsia/eclampsia.