Mitral Stenosis and Pregnancy-Perioperative Considerations Review Article

Cardiovascular disease in pregnancy has been estimated to be 0.1-4.1%. The incidence of pregnancies in women with cardiac disease is on the rise due to an increase in the number of women with heart disease reaching childbearing age as a result of the developments in the management of cardiovascular diseases and advances in reproductive medicine, advancing maternal age with associated diabetes mellitus, hypertension, pre eclampsia and multiple fetal pregnancies. Cardiac disease has thus evolved as an important cause of non obstetric maternal mortality. Rheumatic mitral stenosis is one of the most common cardiac illnesses complicating pregnancy. Patients with severe mitral stenosis usually do not withstand the cardiovascular demands of pregnancy. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach is required to reduce the morbidity and mortality during the antenatal and postnatal period. The role of anesthesiologist and perioperative considerations in such patients leading to prevention of complications with successful outcome of the mother and fetus are discussed.