title: [Clinical observation of cardiac pacemaker in pregnant women].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the clinical results in pregnant women with bradycardia implanted with cardiac pacemakers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five pregnant women with bradycardia were retrospectively studied in our hospital from 1980 to 1996.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four of the patients had A-V block, and the other one sinus bradycardia. Classification of cardiac function, showed 1 case of class IV, 3 cases of class III, and 1 case of class II before implantation of cardiac pacemaker. One case had the pacemaker implanted before pregnancy and 4 cases during pregnancy. Cardiac function improved significantly after implantation and pregnancies went uneventfully. Three women had term living birth by cesarean section, and 2 ended by therapeutic abortions safely.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bradycardia is a rare and serious complication in pregnancy, especially due to A-V block of III degree. Cardiac pacemaker should be implanted before pregnancy or at early stage of pregnancy in order to maintain adequate heart function. These patients should receive cesarean section.
authors.affiliation: Renji Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006327:Heart Block / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies