Medical treatment of cardiovascular disorders during pregnancy

Medical treatment in pregnancy presents a number of problems for the physician. Does the prescribed medication pose a potential threat by having a teratogenic effect on the fetus if taken early in pregnancy? Could it cause functional disturbances during delivery if taken late in pregnancy? Could the drug interfere with the mother during the normal course of pregnancy, and cause functional disturbances during labor? There are several cardiovascular diseases to which women are prone both before and during pregnancy, the most common being systemic hypertension, rheumatic heart disease with the complications of congestive heart failure and arrhythmias, and to a lesser extent congenital heart disease, primary pulmonary hypertension, cardiomyopathies, and other conditions. The frequency and treatment of these diseases during pregnancy have been reviewed.^1–3 This report deals with the direct actions and side effects of various cardiovascular pharmacologic preparations administered during pregnancy.