Pregnancy after heart or heart-lung transplantation: a series of 10 pregnancies.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate pregnancy after heart or heart-lung transplantation in France.


METHODS
A questionnaire survey of all French centres performing heart and heart-lung transplants provided an exhaustive registry on pregnancy after transplantation.


METHODS
A questionnaire was sent to 36 centres. Anonymous reports on transplantation and subsequent pregnancies between 1984 and 1996 were analysed.


RESULTS
Of 1290 heart and 120 heart-lung transplantation performed during the study period, 10 pregnancies (seven after heart transplantation and three after heart-lung transplantation) were reported in nine women who were delivered of 11 infants. High blood pressure complicated nine pregnancies and severe pre-eclampsia occurred in two. One woman developed Kaposi sarcoma of the cervix. Delivery at 35 weeks gestation (27-39) was by caesarean section in 50% cases. Mean birthweight was 1990 g (700-2880g) and 50% of the infants had a birthweight < tenth centile. One infant developed cardiomyopathy as a condition inherited from her mother, and congenital hepatitis B was diagnosed in another.


CONCLUSIONS
Pregnancy after heart and heart-lung transplantation is feasible and can be successful, but this should be planned when cardiac and respiratory functions are stable. Adequate obstetrical and genetic counselling should be provided.
Troché
V
V
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hôpital Antoine Béclère, Clamart, France.
Ville
Y
Y
Fernandez
H
H
D000328:Adult; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D005865:Gestational Age; D016041:Heart-Lung Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires