Association of Maternal Cardiac Arrhythmias with Pregnancy Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: The prevalence of maternal arrhythmias is increasing with advanced maternal age. Current evidence regarding the association between maternal arrhythmias and pregnancy outcomes remains inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to define the associations between adverse pregnancy outcomes and specific maternal arrhythmias. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using the PRISMA guidelines. We searched MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane on the 4th of November 2025 for cohort and case-control studies comparing pregnant women with cardiac arrhythmias to those without. Primary outcomes included preeclampsia, stillbirth, preterm delivery, and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) neonates. Data were pooled using random-effects models with subgroup analyses by arrhythmia type. Results: Nineteen studies were included. Maternal arrhythmias were associated with a significantly increased risk of preeclampsia (RR = 1.46, 95% CI [1.10, 1.93]), preterm delivery (RR = 1.39, 95% CI [1.12, 1.72]), and stillbirth (RR = 2.09, 95% CI [1.11, 3.91]). Ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation was linked to the most severe outcomes, including a four-fold increase in stillbirth (RR = 4.20, 95% CI [3.75, 4.71]) and a fifteen-fold increase in neonatal death (RR = 15.47, 95% CI [3.45, 69.45]). Supraventricular tachycardia was independently associated with preeclampsia (aRR = 1.14, 95% CI [1.04, 1.24]), preterm delivery (aRR = 1.76, 95% CI [1.39, 2.23]), and SGA neonates (aRR = 5.93, 95% CI [1.23, 28.55]). Risks were notably higher in the general population compared to women with known heart disease, supporting an "unmasking" of occult vulnerability. Conclusions: Maternal arrhythmias are associated with distinct fetal risks beyond maternal hemodynamics. Ventricular tachycardia was associated with severe outcomes, likely reflecting acute compromise, while supraventricular tachycardia was linked to signs of chronic vascular dysfunction. These findings suggest arrhythmias as possible sentinels for placental insufficiency, necessitating enhanced surveillance.