As. Saidi et al., OUTCOME OF PREGNANCY FOLLOWING INTERVENTION FOR COARCTATION OF THE AORTA, The American journal of cardiology, 82(6), 1998, pp. 786-788
There are limited data regarding the outcome of pregnancy in women aft
er intervention for coarctation of the aorta (CoA). The Texas Children
's Hospital Cardiac Database was used to identify female patients with
CoA born before 1980 who had undergone balloon angioplasty or surgery
. Patients with Turner's syndrome and cyanotic congenital heart diseas
e were excluded. A chart review and telephone interview were performed
. Data collected included age at intervention, type of intervention, t
he need for reintervention, functional status, number of pregnancies,
and pregnancy outcomes. Seventy-four patients met our criteria and we
were able to contact 52. Eighteen patients (39%) were pregnant a total
of 36 times, There were 3 spontaneous and 4 elective abortions. Preec
lampsia complicated 4 pregnancies in 3 women (17% of primigravidas). O
ne patient had systemic hypertension. Eleven infants were delivered by
Cesarean section. There were 29 births, with an average weight of 3.0
kg. There were 5 preterm births, 4 to a teenage mother. Only 1 child
(3%) had a congenital heart defect. Thus, in women with an arm-to-leg
blood pressure gradient of <20 mm Hg after CoA repair, pregnancy is su
ccessful. The occurrence of congenital heart disease in the offspring
was 3%, Preeclampsia was similar to that in the general population. (C
) 1998 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.