ABSTRACT
Cardiac disease is present in approximately 1% of pregnancies and poses an increased risk to both mother and foetus. About 10-15% of all maternal mortality is due to cardiovascular disease. Surprisingly, there have been no signs of decline of this incidence over the past decades.1 The patient with cardiac disease is known to have an increased risk of developing cardiac complications during pregnancy. Adverse foetal and neonatal outcome occurs frequently. Although the majority of women with cardiac disease tolerate pregnancy well, thorough preconceptional counselling is warranted to estimate the risks and to take necessary preparations. Occasionally, pre-conceptional counselling is not possible since cardiac disease becomes manifest first during pregnancy.
