Screening Echocardiography in Asymptomatic Pregnant Women to Detect Heart Disease

Introduction: Heart disease complicating pregnancy is an important cause of maternal mortality. Cardiovascular complications may develop in 0.2%–4% of pregnancies, even if no prior cardiac disease is known. Hence an early diagnosis of heart disease is important in pregnancy to decrease maternal morbidity and mortality. Aim of the Study: To identify heart disease in asymptomatic pregnant women with screening echocardiography. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective study conducted on pregnant women attending AN OPD in the Department of obstetrics and Gynaecology at Govt. Rajaji Hospital, Madurai. Screening ECHO was done in the women to identify heart diseases. Results: Out of 200 cases, 109 (54.5%) of the cases are in the age group of 20-24 years. Mean age of the study patients is 24.42 years. Out of 200 cases, 123 (61.5%) of the cases are Primi and remaining 77 cases (38.5%) are multi. Out of 200 cases, only 8 (4%) had family h/o heart disease and remaining 192 cases had (96%) had no family h/o of heart disease. Out of 200 cases, 11 (5.5%) cases had heart disease detected by ECHO and remaining 189 cases had (94.5%) no heart disease. Out of these 11 cases, 4 cases had CHD, 3 cases had Mild MS, 1 case each had Mild MR and Moderate MS, and 2 cases had Moderate MR. Valve area is significantly low (1.9) for heart disease cases when compared with normal cases (2.19). P value highly significant. < 0.001.LVEDD is significantly high (4.6) for heart disease cases when compared with normal cases (4.22). P value highly significant. < 0.001.RAEDD is significantly high (2.84) for heart disease cases when compared with normal cases (2.57). P value is significant. p=0.041. Mean RVEDD is low (2.2) for heart disease cases when compared with normal cases (2.42). But no statistical significant difference. P value not significant. p= 0.109.Mean LAEDD is 3.39 for heart disease cases and 2.99 for normal cases There is no significant difference between normal and heart disease cases regarding LAEDD. p= 0.146 Not significant. Out of the 11 cases, 7 cases delivered by caesarean section and 4 cases had vaginal delivery there is no significant difference between mode of delivery and heart disease cases. Conclusion: Cardiac screening during pregnancy may seem to be an expensive process. However, the detection of cardiac diseases during pregnancy can be lifesaving, due to the fact that heart disease complicating pregnancy is a major cause of maternal death.