PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Lameijer, Heleen AU - Burchill, Luke J AU - Baris, Lucia AU - Ruys, Titia PE AU - Roos-Hesselink, Jolien W AU - Mulder, Barbara J M AU - Silversides, Candice K AU - van Veldhuisen, Dirk J AU - Pieper, Petronella G TI - Pregnancy in women with pre-existent ischaemic heart disease: a systematic review with individualised patient data AID - 10.1136/heartjnl-2018-314364 DP - 2019 Jun 01 TA - Heart PG - 873--880 VI - 105 IP - 11 4099 - http://heart.bmj.com/content/105/11/873.short 4100 - http://heart.bmj.com/content/105/11/873.full SO - Heart2019 Jun 01; 105 AB - Introduction Studies on pregnancy risk in women with ischaemic heart disease (IHD) have mainly excluded pregnancies in women with pre-existent IHD. There is a need for better information about the pregnancy risks in these women and their offspring.Methods We performed a systematic review searching the PubMed/MEDLINE public database for pregnancy in women with pre-existent IHD analysing the cardiac, obstetric and fetal/neonatal outcome of pregnancy in women with pre-existing IHD. Individual patient data were requested from large series. The primary outcome endpoints was a composite of ischaemic complications including maternal death, acute coronary syndrome and ventricular tachycardia.Results 116 women with pre-existent IHD had 124 pregnancies including one twin pregnancy. They had a 21% chance of having an uncomplicated pregnancy (completed pregnancy without cardiovascular, obstetric or fetal/neonatal complications, n=26). Primary (ischaemic) endpoints occurred in 9% (n=11). Women with atherosclerosis had more cardiovascular complications compared with pregnancies in women with other underlying pathology for IHD (50%vs23%, P=0.02) but no significant difference in occurrence of primary endpoints (13% vs 9%, P=0.53). There were two maternal cardiac deaths (2%), one of which occurred in the 18th week of pregnancy and the other postpartum. Obstetric complications occurred in 58% (n=65) of pregnancies and fetal/neonatal complications in 42% (n=47).Conclusion Pregnancies in women with pre-existing IHD are high-risk pregnancies. These women have a high risk of ischaemic cardiovascular complications including 2% maternal mortality. The risk of ischaemic complications is especially high among women with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease.