Anaesthesia in parturients with heart disease: a five year review in an Australian tertiary hospital.

At the Royal Women's Hospital, Queensland, between 1993 and 1997 there were 56 vaginal and 22 caesarean deliveries involving 68 women with heart disease. Over half of those women required anaesthetic input, in particular, the women who had the most serious cardiac compromise. There were two maternal deaths, four unbooked and five booked admissions to intensive or coronary care unit.