Key result
Pre-pregnancy cardiomyopathy carries zero maternal mortality, though ~10% develop heart failure during pregnancy.
Why the study?
The impact of different types of pre-pregnancy cardiomyopathy on pregnancy outcomes including mortality, gestational age, and delivery type was not established in a national cohort.
Cohort (n=209)
Yes
Pregnancies in women with pre-existing cardiomyopathy in the UK have generally successful outcomes with no maternal deaths and low rates of cardiovascular complications.
Supports consensus on generally successful maternal outcomes in cardiomyopathy; leaves open need for larger studies on neonatal admission risks.
OBJECTIVE: To establish in a national cohort whether the type of cardiomyopathy in women with a prepregnancy diagnosis affected pregnancy outcomes including mortality, gestational age at birth, and delivery type. DESIGN: Prospective Observational study using United Kingdom Obstetric Surveillance System (UKOSS). POPULATION: Women with pre-pregnancy diagnosis of cardiomyopathy. METHODS: Cases included were defined as women with pre-pregnancy diagnosis of cardiomyopathy (dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, arrhymogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, or Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM)). Details were notified monthly to UKOSS (1st June 2021 until the 31st May 2024). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Obstetric, neonatal, and cardiovascular outcomes. RESULTS: 210 pregnancies in 209 women were identified, 103/209 (49.3%) with dilated cardiomyopathy, 40/209 (19.1%) with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, 24/209 (11.5%) with previous PPCM, 11/209 (5.3%) with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy and 31/209 (14.8%) women with 'other' cardiomyopathies. Median gestation at delivery in 206 singleton pregnancies was 38.1 (IQR 259-273) weeks; 36/180 (20%) of babies with data recorded were admitted to the neonatal unit. There were no maternal deaths. 10% of women had a documented episode of heart failure and 8% a documented arrhythmia during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancies in women with cardiomyopathy managed in the UK typically have successful outcomes, consistent with published data. Maternal cardiac complications rate was small. There were no maternal deaths.
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Cauldwell et al. (2026) conducted a cohort in Cardiomyopathy in pregnancy (n=209). Pre-pregnancy diagnosis of cardiomyopathy was evaluated on Obstetric, neonatal, and cardiovascular outcomes (including mortality, gestational age at birth, and delivery type). Among pregnant women with a pre-pregnancy diagnosis of cardiomyopathy, there were no maternal deaths, though 10% had documented heart failure and 8% had an arrhythmia during pregnancy.
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