Heart disease and pregnancy at the Royal Women's Hospital

The management of 542 women with heart disease and pregnancy during the years 1950 to 1975 is described. All were classified according to their cardiac function at the onset of pregnancy. The incidence of heart failure is recorded and the factors which determined this are discussed. Mitral valvotomy was performed during pregnancy in 13 women, however 31 had had mitral valvotomy before pregnancy. There were 10 maternal deaths, eight of these occurring during the puerperium.