Anesthetic Management and outcomes of pregnant women with Ebstein’s anomaly: Prospective report

Fetomaternal outcomes and anesthetic management of pregnancy have rarely been described in a prospective cohort of women with Ebstein's anomaly. Therefore, due to the scarcity of data, diagnostic approaches and obstetric and anesthetic management plans are still evolving. In this prospective observational study, we describe the anesthetic management and fetomaternal outcomes of seven women with different grades of unrepaired Ebstein's anomaly. All women were in NYHA (New York Heart Association) Class II, none had cyanosis or cardiac decompensation at the time of admission during pregnancy. Pregnancy was uneventful except in one woman who developed pulmonary oedema. Two women developed supraventricular arrhythmia in the postpartum period. Six women underwent vaginal or assisted vaginal delivery, while one woman underwent cesarean delivery due to the transverse lie of the fetus. All mothers returned to NYHA Class I at 6 weeks follow up. In conclusion, pregnancy increases the risk of maternal complications in asymptomatic women with Ebstein's anomaly. Therefore, preoperative functional and echocardiographic risk stratification is crucial for prepregnancy counseling. Intrapartum and postpartum surveillance, prompt diagnosis of complications, and appropriate management in multidisciplinary hospital settings are associated with favorable fetomaternal outcomes.