ABSTRACT
The clinical features of infective endocarditis (IE) are varied and nonspecific, causing a diagnostic challenge in most cases. The diagnosis of IE is straightforward in patients with a consistent history and classic Oslerian manifestations, including sustained bacteremia or fungemia, evidence of acute valvulitis, peripheral emboli, and immunologic vascular phenomena. A systematic review summarized maternal and fetal outcomes of pregnant or postpartum women with IE. Due to the morbidity and mortality of IE, significant efforts have been focused on prevention of IE particularly with antibiotic prophylaxis. Healthy cardiac tissue is resistant to bacteremia. Current recommendations for endocarditis prophylaxis during pregnancy are, in general, similar to those for nonpregnant patients. The specific role of cardiovascular surgery in the treatment of IE during pregnancy poses particular challenges given the controversial role of surgery for IE, the risks of cardiac surgery during pregnancy, and the paucity of data regarding cardiac surgery for pregnant women with IE.
