Intracardiac operation in seven pregnant women.

The outcome of open heart operations on pregnant women is not well documented. Between March 1985 and October 1988, 7 pregnant patients underwent valve replacement at Tygerberg Hospital. This included three redo operations and one double-valve replacement. The range of perfusion temperatures used during cardiopulmonary bypass was 28 degrees to 33 degrees C with aortic cross-clamp times of 53 to 121 minutes. One baby was stillborn, but the others were normally delivered at full term, and all the mothers survived. The stillborn baby was lost after the shortest procedure at the highest temperature during cardiopulmonary bypass.