title: Assessment and management of cardiac disease in pregnancy.
abstract: Approximately 1% of pregnancies are affected by congenital or acquired cardiac disease. The obstetric care provider requires an understanding of the expected cardiorespiratory adaptations to pregnancy in order to anticipate when and how the cardiac patient may decompensate. Although the majority of women with cardiac disease in pregnancy can expect a positive outcome, women should be evaluated for predictors of poor perinatal outcome to aid in determining the appropriate location for and surveillance in labour. Women affected with congenital heart disease require counselling about the risk of recurrence in their offspring. The discussion of contraceptive needs for the woman with cardiac disease is critical in the appropriate planning of her family.
authors.affiliation: Professor and Chair, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen's University, Kingston ON.
authors.forename: Gregory A L
authors.initials: GAL
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.affiliation: William Norman Thornton Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville VA, USA.
authors.forename: William N P
authors.initials: WNP
authors.lastname: Herbert
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis