Twenty-eight Pregnant Women with Cardiac Diseases: A Review of Maternal and Fetal Outcomes in Pakistan

Introduction In the western world, 0.2%-4% of pregnancies are complicated by heart diseases. The United Kingdom Obstetric Surveillance System (UKOSS) conducted a study on acute myocardial infarction (MI) in pregnant women. It estimated an incidence of 0.7 cases of acute MI per 100,000 pregnancies. In this study, we review the maternal and fetal outcomes of pregnant women with a cardiac disorder. Methods This retrospective analysis included all maternal records of the women registered in the obstetrics and gynecology department of Ghulam Muhammad Meher Medical Hospital, Sukkur, from January 1 to December 31, 2018. The study was approved by the institutional review board. Results The most common cardiac disease among our patients was peripartum cardiomyopathy (n=12; 42.9%) followed by rheumatic heart disease in nine (32.1%) women. The rate of maternal mortality was 14.2% (n=4). There were eight (28.6%) cases of intrauterine devices (IUDs) and the remaining 20 (71.4%) babies were born alive and healthy. Conclusion The prevalence of cardiac diseases in pregnancy in Pakistan is comparable to that in our neighboring countries. These cardiac diseases are responsible for fetal and maternal adverse outcomes.