Maternal and fetal prognosis of subsequent pregnancy in black African women with peripartum cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to describe maternal and fetal outcomes after pregnancy complicated by peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM). METHODS: We included women that had subsequent pregnancy (SSP) after PPCM and assessed maternal prognosis and pregnancy outcomes, in-hospital up to one week after discharge. Clinical and echocardiographic data were collected comparing alive and deceased women. Factors associated with pregnancy outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients were included, with a mean age of 26.7 ± 4.6 years and a mean gravidity number of 2.3 ± 0.5 of. At the last medical control before subsequent pregnancy, there was no congestive heart failure, the mean left ventricular diastolic diameter (LVDD) was 53 ± 4 mm and the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was ≥50% in 13 cases (44.8%). Maternal outcomes were marked by 14 deaths (48.3%). Among the factors tested in univariate analysis, LVEF at admission had an excellent receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve to predict maternal mortality (AUC = 0.95; 95% CI 0.87–1, p < 0.001), with a cut off value of < 40% (sensitivity = 93% and specificity = 87%). Concerning fetal outcomes, baseline LVEF had the best area under the curve (AUC) to predict abortion or prematurity among all variables (AUC = 0.75; 95% CI 0.58–092, p = 0.003), with a cut-off value of < 50% (sensitivity = 79%, specificity = 67%). CONCLUSIONS: SSP outcomes are still severe in our practice. Maternal mortality remains high and is linked to ventricular systolic function at admission (due to pregnancy), while fetal outcomes are linked to baseline LVEF before pregnancy.