Endocarditis during pregnancy

South Med J. 2003 Nov;96(11):1156-7. doi: 10.1097/01.SMJ.0000054503.18393.1E.

Abstract

The incidence of infective endocarditis during pregnancy has been reported to be 0.006%. The maternal mortality rate can reach 33%, with most deaths related to heart failure or an embolic event. The rate of fetal mortality can reach 29%. Heart diseases are the most important nonobstetric causes of maternal death during pregnancy, accounting for 10% of maternal deaths. As many as 3% of women have a form of cardiac disease diagnosed during or in the period preceding pregnancy, with 70 to 80% of the cardiac conditions having congenital causes.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Endocarditis, Bacterial / diagnosis*
  • Female
  • Fetal Death / microbiology
  • Fever / microbiology
  • Heart Murmurs / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / diagnosis*
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / diagnosis*