Cardiac Diseases in Pregnancy

Abstract

Incidence of heart disease in the population is quite high, and therefore, it is not surprising that many cases of cardiac disease are seen together with pregnancy, and this fact is very true with regard to the Indian setup. Clinically cardiac disease is seen in about 1–4 % pregnancies, but the true incidence of maternal cardiovascular disease is higher because a significant number of such cases go undetected as they are clinically insignificant or were not picked up despite being serious in nature. The absolute number of pregnant women with heart disease is rising because due to increased percentage of antennal care and refinement in the medical and surgical management of congenital and acquired heart defects so greater proportion of such women reaching to child-bearing age. The pregnancy may affect the well-being of both mother and fetus by imposing a grave haemodynamic burden and hence aggravating the pre-existing heart disease. Whatever the lesion, it is certain that close clinical attention and preparedness to avoid acute events and to manage them successfully are the right clinical approaches for these patients to ensure the best maternal and fetal outcome.