Percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty in pregnant women with mitral stenosis.

Forty-four consecutive pregnant patients with mitral stenosis were submitted to percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV) over a period of 12 years. The mean age was 28 +/- 6 years and the mean gestational age was 23 +/- 6 weeks. The mean mitral valve area had a significant increase from 1.17 +/- 0.26 to 2.06 +/- 0.41 cm(2) (P = 0.0000). The mean mitral valve gradient decreased from 16.22 +/- 5.55 to 7.94 +/- 3.75 mm Hg (P = 0.0001). The procedure was performed successfully in 95% of the patients and there were no major complications. Concerning labor and delivery, we evaluated 37 patients. Thirty patients (81%) reached term and delivered normal infants. Seven patients (18.9%) delivered prematurely, resulting in two fetal death; one patient delivered a stillborn. We concluded that PMV is a safe procedure for the treatment of mitral stenosis in pregnant patients, providing significant symptomatic relief and better clinical conditions for labor and delivery. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.