Cardiac disorders.

Most cardiovascular problems in pregnant women arise from the complications of preexisting chronic conditions (e.g., rheumatic and congenital heart disease) and hypertensive vascular disease. Regular supervision of these patients is essential to detect incipient pulmonary congestion or disturbances of cardiac rhythm. Even if the pregnancy has been uncomplicated, hospital admission 1-4 weeks before the due date is recommended to ensure optimal conditions for labor. Vaginal delivery at term with adequate sedation and use of forceps to shorten the 2nd stage of labor is the perferred mode. Induction of labor may be indicated in hypertensive vascular disease or in cases where adjusting or discontinuing drug therapy calls for precise timing of delivery. Eisenmenger's disease and primary hypertension are potential medical indications for pregnancy termination. The distribution pattern of organic heart disease encountered in pregnant women has changed in the past 20 years, with a decrease in rheumatic and an increase in congenital heart disease. The incidence of chronic rheumatic heart disease in pregnant women fell from 3.5% of all deliveries at Newcastle General Hospital in 1942-51 to 1.1% in 1962-71. Acute pulmonary edema in mitral stenosis is currently a major risk during pregnancy. There is no optimal stage of pregnancy for valvotomy, nor evidence that this procedure induces miscarriage in the early weeks. Pregnancy has become less hazardous in severe forms of congenital heart disease as more patients with these disorders have undergone cardiac surgery prior to pregnancy. Pregnancy is not believed to have any effect on the longterm course of rheumatic heart disease. Patients with aortic stenosis, coarctation of the aorta, primary pulmonary hypertension, Fallot's tetralogy, Eisenmenger's syndrome, and surgically untreated cyanotic lesions require special attention during pregnancy. The outlook for women who become pregnant after an acute cardiac infarction episode depends on the functional state of the heart at the time of pregnancy and the presence or absence of angina pain. There has been a gradual decline in perinatal mortality, especially in cases complicated by rheumatic heart disease.     

Mitral valve replacement in a twin pregnancy

A 35-year-old female with twin gestation diagnosed with severe mitral stenosis and pulmonary hypertension was successfully treated with open heart surgery for mitral valve replacement (MVR). She gave birth to twins with good Apgar scores at 33 weeks of gestation by cesarean section. Cardiac surgery in singleton pregnancy has been reported extensively. However, there is only a single reported case of MVR following therapeutic abortion of a twin pregnancy in the second trimester. In contrast, we report the first case of mitral valve replacement for severe mitral stenosis and pulmonary hypertension in an ongoing twin pregnancy with successful outcomes.     

Cirugía cardíaca por triple lesión valvular y embarazo en gestante añosa. Presentación de un caso clínico y revisión de la literatura médica

We present the case of a 39-year-old woman with inactive rheumatic heart disease and valvular sequelae consisting of mitral stenosis, double aortic lesion with a predominance of stenosis, functional tricuspid insufficiency, and pulmonary hypertension. The patient had New York Heart Association heart failure class IV associated with a 16-week pregnancy and a thrombus in the left atrium.     

Management of labor in Eisenmenger syndrome with inhaled nitric oxide.

Administration of nitric oxide by means of inhalation during the labor of a woman with Eisenmenger's syndrome caused by an atrial septal defect resulted in improved oxygenation and initial pulmonary arterial pressure. She gave birth to a live infant at 34 weeks' gestation but died of worsening pulmonary hypertension and heart failure 21 days post partum.     

妊娠合并艾森曼格综合征患者的临床分析

目的 分析妊娠合并艾森曼格综合征(Eisenmenger syndrome)患者的妊娠结局,探讨其围产期处理方法,降低此类孕产妇的病死率.方法 对2001年1月1日至2009年12月31日在首都医科大学附属北京安贞医院分娩的23例妊娠合并艾森曼格综合征患者的发病孕周、心脏原发病、肺动脉高压、氧饱和度和心功能进行回顾性分析.统计学方法采用x2检验或Fisher精确概率法.结果 (1)孕周在15～38周之间的23例妊娠合并艾森曼格综合征的孕妇,孕中期11例,孕晚期12例,不同发病孕周者肺动脉高压的程度、心功能及预后差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).C2)在4种心脏原发病中,室间隔缺损的患者最多(65.2％,15/23),妊娠后出现心功能下降程度最重,其中心功能Ⅳ级的比例占73.3％(11/15),重度肺动脉高压的比例占20.0％(3/15).不同原发病患者妊娠后心功能下降程度差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.05).(3)肺动脉高压孕妇中,轻度7例(30.4％),中度12例(52.2％),重度4例(17.4％).不同肺动脉高压程度者产后心衰发生率及病死率差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05),其中重度肺动脉高压患者妊娠结局最差,4例均死亡,病死率4/4.(4)不同程度氧饱和度患者的围产儿病死率、早产率、自然流产率差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05).氧饱和度下降到重度时,围产儿病死率最高,为5.3％(1/19),早产率为84.2％(16/19),自然流产率为10.5％(2/19).结论 妊娠合并艾森曼格综合征患者妊娠后应严密监测,积极降低患者的肺动脉高压,及时终止妊娠,是提高艾森曼格综合征孕产妇围产期安全性的关键.     

Reproduction problems in women with cardiovascular diseases

53 female patients who informed the obstetrician about their cardiological problems were examined. In 44 cases the heart defects were diagnosed, in 39 cases of the congenital origin. In 20 patients the shunt congenital heart disease were recognized, in 13 cases the valvular defects, in 6--Fallot Syndrome and in the single cases tricuspid atresia, pulmonary atresia, Ebstein anomaly were observed. The next 9 patients were diagnosed as: in 4 cases hyperthrophy cardiomyopathy, in 2 cases the post myocarditis status, in 2 cases complete atrioventricular block and in 1 case WPW syndrome. The analysed women were pregnancy together 98 times, finished the delivery in 86 times. The physiological delivery were observed in 53 cases. 3 neonates died in the first day of live, 6 children were born prematured. Among 83 newborns who alived 7 required intensive care. The congenital heart diseases was diagnosed in 4 children--the atrial septal defect, pulmonary stenosis, coarctation of the aorta and mitral valve malformation were seen. Two children of the mothers with hyperthrophy cardiomyopathy have the same cardiological problems. The child of mother with congenital aortic stenosis suffered from the anal atresia and agenesis of the kidney.     

妊娠合并风湿性心脏病患者心功能状态对妊娠结局的影响

目的探讨妊娠合并风湿性心脏病患者心功能状态对妊娠结局的影响。方法对1993年1月至2006年7月在我院产科分娩的、资料齐全的65例妊娠合并风湿性心脏病患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析。根据患者的二尖瓣狭窄程度分为二尖瓣正常组20例（瓣口面积〉4．0cm^2）、轻度狭窄组11例（瓣口面积2．5—4．0cm^2）、中度狭窄组14例（瓣121面积1．5—2．5cm^2）以及重度狭窄组20例（瓣口面积〈1．5cm^2）;根据是否伴有肺动脉高压分为正常压力组33例[肺动脉压〈30mmHg（1mmHg=0．133kPa）]、轻度升高组18例（肺动脉压31—49mmHg）、中度升高组7例（肺动脉压50～79mmHg）和重度升高组7例（肺动脉压≥80mmHg）;根据孕前是否进行心脏手术分为心脏手术组14例和非心脏手术组51例;根据患者的不同心功能状态分为Ⅰ级组24例、Ⅱ级组13例、Ⅲ级组13例、Ⅳ级组15例,观察各组的围产儿结局。分析以上各种因素对妊娠合并风湿性心脏病患者妊娠结局的影响。结果（1）二尖瓣正常组患者心功能Ⅰ～Ⅱ级者为80％（16／20）,Ⅳ级组患者中,80％（12／15）在中度狭窄组（6例）及重度狭窄组（6例）,与二尖瓣正常组和轻度狭窄组的心功能Ⅳ级发生率（20％,3／15）比较,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。（2）正常压力组患者心功能Ⅰ～Ⅱ级者为73％（24／33）,重度升高组患者心功能Ⅳ级的发生率（6／7）明显高于心功能Ⅰ级的发生率（1／7）,两者比较,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。（3）心脏手术组患者心功能Ⅰ～Ⅱ级发生率为71％（10／14）,Ⅲ级和Ⅳ级的发生率均为14％（2／14）,前后两者比较,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;非心脏手术组患者Ⅰ～Ⅳ级心功能发生率之间分别比较,差异均无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。（4）心功能Ⅰ～Ⅲ级组患者的平均孕周及新生儿平均出生体重分别比较,差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）;而心功能Ⅳ级组平均孕周为（34．6±3．1）周,新生儿平均出生体重为（2176±186）g,明显低于心功能Ⅰ级组,两组比较,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。心功能Ⅲ～Ⅳ级组患者中,共发生医源性流产和引产9例（14％,9／65）,医源性早产18例（28％,18／65）,胎儿生长受限4例（6％,4／65）,围产儿死亡3例（5％,3／65）;而心功能Ⅰ～Ⅱ级组患者以上指标均为0。（5）65例妊娠合并风湿性心脏病患者中合并心房纤颤者7例,其心功能Ⅲ～Ⅳ级（心功能衰竭）的发生率为6／7。结论妊娠合并风湿性心脏病患者伴中、重度二尖瓣狭窄、重度肺动脉压升高及心房纤颤,容易发生心功能衰竭危及生命,不宜妊娠。已妊娠者应尽早终止妊娠;心功能Ⅲ～Ⅳ级的妊娠合并风湿性心脏病患者的医源性流产、早产和围产儿病率均增加,围产儿结局不良。     

Unanticipated complications of intra amniotic saline

Pulmonary edema is the primary danger in cardiac patients who undergo abortion by intra-amniotic instillation of hypertonic saline solution. The intra-amniotic saline has not been considered safe for induction of abortion in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy due to either immediate or late complications. Side effects range from vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches to severe septicaemea, convulsions, hemorrhage, disseminated intra-vascular coagulation, and pulmonary edema. Pulmonary edema is often unanticipated in women with "tight" mitral stenosis which was unrecognized in pregnancy. Organic lesion in the heart is often undetected prior to instillation of hypertonic saline which could subsequently cause cardiac failure and lung edema.     

Cardiovascular disease in pregnancy

Heart disease continues to be an important cause of maternal mortality. This is largely because of the extensive haemodynamic changes that occur during pregnancy, namely the increase in blood volume, increase in cardiac output, fall in systemic vascular resistance and hypercoagulable state. High-risk periods include the end of the second trimester, during labour and the immediate postpartum period. Prognosis depends on the specific heart condition, the patient's functional class and the degree of cardiac dysfunction. Conditions that are contraindications to pregnancy include Eisenmenger's syndrome, primary and secondary pulmonary hypertension, complex cyanotic congenital heart disease, and Marfan's syndrome with aortic root dilatation. Women with heart disease should be thoroughly evaluated and counselled before and during pregnancy. Multidisciplinary care is essential for successful maternal and fetal outcomes.     

妊娠合并先天性心脏病伴肺动脉高压79例妊娠结局分析

目的分析妊娠合并先天性心脏病伴肺动脉高乐患者的妊娠结局。方法回顾性分析2009年1月至2013年6月北京安贞医院妇产科收治的79例妊娠合并先天性心脏病伴肺动脉高压患者的临床资料,根据肺动脉压力将其分为轻度组、中度组、重度组。分析各组先天性心脏病种类、心功能级别、终止妊娠的方式以及母婴结局。结果先心病类型以房间隔缺损（房缺）和室间隔缺损（室缺）为主,肺动脉高压轻度组心功能以Ⅰ～Ⅱ级为主,重度组心功能以Ⅲ～Ⅳ级为主。79例患者中,行医源性流产者16例（20．8％）,经阴道分娩5例（6．5％）,剖宫产56例（72．7％）。重度组医源性流产率高于其他组,足月分娩率低于其他组,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。新生儿早产20例（32．8％）,足月产41例（67．2％）,死产1例,随着肺动脉压力的增加,早产的发生率增加,三组之间相互比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论肺动脉高压患者应在妇产科及心脏科医师指导下妊娠,不宜妊娠者应及早终止妊娠。孕产妇终止妊娠方式以剖宫产为主,麻醉方式以硬膜外麻醉为宜。     

妊娠合并肺动脉高压妊娠结局分析

目的分析妊娠合并肺动脉高压(PH)临床特点,探讨其围生期监护及妊娠终止时机、方式。方法收集福建医科大学附属第一医院2005年1月至2011年4月37例妊娠合并PH患者的临床资料,根据肺动脉压力情况分为轻度组19例[30～<50mmHg(1mmHg=0.133kPa)],中度组10例(50～<80mmHg),重度组8例(≥80mmHg)。分析心脏病情况及母婴结局。结果 (1)37例肺动脉高压患者中,风湿性心脏病18例,先天性心脏病11例,围生期心肌病5例,肥厚型心肌病1例,特发性肺动脉高压1例,未发现心脏器质性改变1例。(2)轻度组心功能Ⅰ～Ⅱ级占68.4%(13/19)。中度组心功能Ⅱ～Ⅲ级占70%(7/10)。重度组心功能Ⅲ～Ⅳ级占75%(6/8)。(3)32例患者(86.5%)行剖宫产术。1例轻度肺动脉高压孕妇经阴道分娩。1例产妇死亡(2.7%)。4例中期引产(12.1%)。7例早产,新生儿窒息3例,低出生体重儿4例,新生儿死亡1例。结论妊娠合并肺动脉高压属于高危妊娠,随着肺动脉压力升高心功能衰竭的发生率增加,围生儿疾病发生率和胎儿丢失率也明显增加,母儿预后取决于孕期是否伴有合并症。晚期妊娠患者以剖宫产终止妊娠为宜。     

Respiratory complications of pregnancy.

The pregnant woman is susceptible to a variety of respiratory complications. When a pregnant patient presents with an abnormal chest x-ray or a pulmonary complaint, an understanding of the pathophysiology of pregnancy will guide the clinician in establishing a diagnosis. Pregnancy brings about many changes to a woman's body. One of the more intriguing is a decrease in the T helper cells, resulting in a state of relative immunosuppression. Despite this, the prevalence of infectious pneumonia is not increased in pregnancy. Complications from pneumonia, however, are increased in the pregnant host. Most notably are increases in both mortality related to influenza infection and the risk for dissemination of coccidioidomycosis.Other physiologic changes predispose the pregnant woman to certain disease processes. Hypercoagulability associated with pregnancy results in a marked increase in the incidence of thromboembolic disease. Although rare, pregnancy is also associated with other embolic phenomena including amniotic fluid embolism, air embolism, and trophoblastic embolism. Because of the increases in intravascular volume and cardiac output that occur in pregnancy, women with underlying structural heart disease will frequently present for the first time or have an exacerbation of their disease. This is especially true of mitral stenosis. Peripartum cardiomyopathy also can occur, and for the majority of patients, the heart remains damaged for life. Finally, although uncommon, lymphangioleiomyomatosis will often present or become exacerbated during pregnancy. Patients with this disorder need to be counseled concerning the increased risk associated with pregnancy. This paper reviews the various respiratory complications associated with pregnancy.     

Multiple peripheral pulmonic stenosis in pregnancy

Multiple peripheral pulmonic stenosis is a rare congenital cardiac disorder. The clinical course of this disease in pregnancy is not established. We report the benign obstetric course of a patient whose pregnancy was complicated by peripheral pulmonic stenosis and pulmonary hypertension.     

Closed Mitral Valvotomy in Pregnancy—A Malaysian Experience

Our experience from 1968 to 1985 in 12 women requiring closed mitral valvotomy during pregnancy is reviewed. All patients had severe mitral stenosis and were in functional class 3 (2 patients) or class 4 (10 patients). Mitral valvotomy was performed between the 18th and the 30th week of pregnancy using a transventricular dilator. Improvement in functional class was noted in all patients postoperatively. One patient had postvalvotomy mitral regurgitation and heart failure, which responded to diuretics; the subsequent course was uneventful. Eleven patients had normal deliveries; whilst one patient had a Caesarean section for an obstetric indication. All babies were normal and there was no maternal death. This series confirms that closed mitral valvotomy can be performed with an acceptable degree of safety during pregnancy, when indicated.     

Mitral valve disease in pregnancy

Mitral valve disease is most commonly of rheumatic origin. Mitral stenosis is the most common of these and the most serious. Ventricular filling time is critical in women with mitral stenosis, and tachycardia may significantly interfere with filling time. Pregnancy conditions associated with tachycardia include pain, infection, hypertension, anemia, and blood loss. The postpartum period is the most dangerous time for women with mitral stenosis because of all of the fluid changes. Women with severe disease may benefit from invasive hemodynamic monitoring to assure adequate preload and prevent failure. Women with mitral insufficiency generally tolerate pregnancy well. Cardiac decompensation may rarely occur, especially in women with severe, long-standing disease. Women with mitral valve disease may have atrial enlargement and atrial tachyarrhythmias, especially atrial fibrillation. Thus, they may be prone to thromboembolic phenomena. Such women should be treated with heparin. All women with mitral valve disease should receive subacute bacterial endocarditis prophylaxis. The majority of pregnant women with mitral valve disease can deliver vaginally, and cesarean section should be reserved for obstetric indications. Regional anesthesia is ideal for intrapartum pain relief, with the possible exception of women with severe mitral stenosis.Finally, these women should be managed by a multidisciplinary team approach to include obstetrician, perinatologist, cardiologist, and anesthesiologist.     

Cardiovascular disease in pregnancy

Heart disease continues to be an important cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. This is largely because of the extensive haemodynamic changes that occur during pregnancy, namely the increase in blood volume, fluctuations in cardiac output, fall in systemic vascular resistance and the hypercoagulable state. High-risk periods include the end of the second trimester, during labour and the immediate postpartum period. Prognosis depends on the specific cardiac condition, the patient's functional class, presence of cyanosis, history of cardiac events or arrhythmia and the degree of systolic dysfunction. Pregnancy is contraindicated in women with Eisenmenger's syndrome, pulmonary hypertension, complex cyanotic congenital heart disease, Marfan's syndrome with aortic root dilatation, and those with severe left ventricular dysfunction. Women with heart disease should be thoroughly evaluated and counselled before and during pregnancy. Multidisciplinary care is essential for successful maternal and fetal outcomes.     

Cardiovascular disease in pregnancy

Cardiac disease continues to be an important cause of maternal morbidity and mortality and is now the leading cause of maternal deaths in the United Kingdom. This is largely because of extensive haemodynamic changes which occur during pregnancy, namely the increase in blood volume, fluctuations in cardiac output, fall in systemic vascular resistance and hypercoagulable state. High risk periods include the end of the second trimester, during labour and the immediate postpartum period. Prognosis depends on the specific cardiac condition, the patient's functional class, presence of cyanosis, prior history of cardiac events or arrhythmia and the degree of systolic dysfunction. Conditions where pregnancy should be include Eisenmenger's syndrome, pulmonary hypertension, complex cyanotic congenital heart disease, Marfan syndrome with aortic root dilatation and those with severe left ventricular dysfunction. Women with heart disease should be thoroughly evaluated and counselled before and during pregnancy. Multidisciplinary care is essential for successful maternal and foetal outcomes.     

Discussion on the article Otto. (Indications for heart surgery in pregnancy and during labor, Zbl. Gynak. 96, 44-50, 1974)

Cardiological indications for abortion, and the indications for heart surgery during pregnancy are discussed. Conservative treatment of mitral, aortic, and pulmonary valve disease is considered preferable to cardiac surgery during pregnancy, and in stable cases, the risks are not unduly high. In open ductus arteriosus, where the shunt volume is moderate, the prognosis for conservative treatment is also quite good. Where heart surgery during pregnancy does seem indicated (as in severe heart valve disease with cardiac insufficiency) the risks of heart surgery during pregnancy must be weighed against those of abortion followed by surgery.     

妊娠合并肺动脉高压23例分析

目的 探讨合并肺动脉高压(PH)妇女能否妊娠及妊娠的适宜时间。方法 回顾性分析1997～2002年在我院诊治的23例合并有PH的孕妇，分析PH的分类，妊娠结局。结果 3例合并原发性肺动脉高压(PPH)孕妇，2例在剖宫产术中死亡，1例在孕早期终止妊娠后存活。14例因合并风湿性心脏病(风心病)致PH的孕妇，妊娠至足月行剖宫产者10例，1例早产，3例引产，无一例孕妇死亡。6例因合并先天性心脏病(先心痛)致PH的孕妇，轻度PH孕妇3例，均妊娠至足月；重度PH孕妇3例，2例死亡，1例存活。结论 PPH患者应避免妊娠。风心病致PH的孕妇，依心功能、PH高低及血氧饱和度决定是否终止妊娠。对先心病致PH者，最好在手术或药物治疗后妊娠；患Eisenrnenger’s综合征妇女禁止妊娠。