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Congenital heart disease in the ESC EORP Registry of Pregnancy and Cardiac disease (ROPAC)

  • Karishma P. Ramlakhan
  • , Mark R. Johnson
  • , Malgorzata Lelonek
  • , Aly Saad
  • , Zaur Gasimov
  • , Natalia V. Sharashkina
  • , Patrick Thornton
  • , Margaret Arstall
  • , Roger Hall
  • , Jolien W. Roos-Hesselink
  • , ROPAC Investigators Group, ROPAC Executive Committee
  • , ROPAC Investigators
  • , M. Wittwer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)
2 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Pregnancy is a major burden on the maternal cardiovascular system. Hormonal changes cause a drop in systemic vascular resistance and a compensatory volume expansion, leading to a 30–50% increase in cardiac output [1]. Cardiac output peaks at the end of the second trimester and remains on a plateau thereafter, until delivery. During labour, pain, stress and the uterine contractions increase cardiac output by another 25%. These changes, with the abrupt cessation of the increased utero-placental blood flow at delivery with the return of 500–700 mls into the systemic circulation, make the postpartum period high risk for the development of heart failure [2,3]. Additionally, the risk of arrhythmias, thrombosis and aortic dissection is increased during and shortly after pregnancy [3]. The impact of pregnancy on the cardiovascular system may explain why cardiac disease is the leading cause of maternal mortality in high income countries and why women with pre-existing cardiac disease, including congenital heart disease (CHD), are at particular risk.
Original languageEnglish
Article number100107
Number of pages7
JournalInternational Journal of Cardiology Congenital Heart Disease
Volume3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2021
Externally publishedYes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

  • Congenital heart disease
  • Maternal health
  • Observational registry
  • Pregnancy

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