Multidisciplinary Management of Pregnancy in Complex Congenital Heart Disease: A Model for Coordination of Care

Abstract

With advancements in medical care, many women with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) are now living into adulthood and childbearing years. The strains of pregnancy and parturition can be dangerous in such patients, and careful interdisciplinary plans must be made to optimize maternal and fetal health through this process. Several large studies have been published regarding risk prediction and medical management of pregnancy in complex CHD, though few case studies detailing clinical care plans have been published. The objective of this report is to describe the process of developing a detailed pregnancy and delivery care plan for three women with complex CHD, including perspectives from the multidisciplinary specialists involved in the process. This article demonstrates that collaboration between specialists in the fields of cardiology, anesthesiology, high-risk obstetrics, maternal fetal medicine, and neonatology results in clinically successful individualized treatment plans for the management of pregnancy in complex CHD. Multidisciplinary collaboration is a crucial element in the management of pregnancy in complex CHD. We provide a template used in three cases which can serve as a model for the design of future care plans.