Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Pregnancy: Outcomes From an Australian Tertiary Centre for Maternal Medicine and Review of the Current Literature

Peripartum cardiomyopathy is associated with significant risks of decline in left ventricular function and adverse maternal and fetal outcome in subsequent pregnancy. The risks of pregnancy in women with dilated cardiomyopathy are unclear. We aimed to assess the outcome of pregnancy in women with dilated cardiomyopathy seen at our institution and to review the literature on this subject. A retrospective audit of the outcomes of 14 pregnancies to 12 women with dilated cardiomyopathy. There were no cardiac events and no woman had a decline in left ventricular function during pregnancy. There was a high rate of prematurity and adverse fetal outcome related to this, including four neonatal deaths. Maternal outcomes in this small series were satisfactory though only three women had moderate-severe left ventricular dysfunction at baseline. There was a high rate of premature delivery and adverse neonatal outcome.