title: Pregnancy following cardiac prosthetic valve replacement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of cardiac valve replacement on pregnancy outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed retrospectively 151 pregnancies in 88 women: 56 pregnancies in 31 women with mechanical valves and anticoagulation therapy, and 95 pregnancies in 57 women with porcine tissue valves. Student t, chi 2, and Fisher exact tests were used for analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significantly greater rate of fetal loss in patients with mechanical valve replacements than in those with porcine tissue valves (27.7 versus 12.3%, respectively; P < .05). No significant differences were found in prematurity (5.9 versus 7.7%) or small for dates infants (8.8 versus 10.8%). Two congenital anomalies were noted in the mechanical valve group. Maternal complications in patients with mechanical valves included valve dysfunction (three), thromboembolism (three), abruptio placentae (two), postpartum hemorrhage (two), severe oligohydramnios (two), and puerperal fever caused by brain abscess (one). Four cases of valve dysfunction and one of infectious endocarditis complicated the condition of patients with porcine tissue valves. The 10-year graft survival rate in the porcine valve group was lower following two subsequent pregnancies (16.7%) than following one (54.8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fewer fetal and maternal complications occurred in subsequent pregnancies after porcine valve replacement. However, the need for reoperation is more likely, and pregnancy might accelerate the degenerative process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University, College of Medicine, Taipei.
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: P Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001705:Bioprosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies