Pregnancy in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Eur Respir Rev. 2016 Dec;25(142):431-437. doi: 10.1183/16000617.0079-2016.

Abstract

Despite advanced therapies, maternal mortality in women with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains high in pregnancy and is especially high during the post-partum period. However, recent data indicates that morbidity and mortality during pregnancy and after birth have improved for PAH patients. The current European Society of Cardiology/European Respiratory Society guidelines recommend that women with PAH should not become pregnant. Therefore, the risks associated with pregnancy must be emphasised and counselling offered to women at the time of PAH diagnosis and to women with PAH who become pregnant. Early termination should be discussed. Women who choose to continue with their pregnancy should be treated at specialised pulmonary hypertension centres with experience in managing PAH during and after pregnancy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Therapeutic
  • Arterial Pressure*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / diagnosis
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / mortality
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / physiopathology
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / therapy*
  • Maternal Mortality
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / diagnosis
  • Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / physiopathology
  • Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / therapy*
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • Pregnancy, High-Risk*
  • Pulmonary Artery / physiopathology*
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors