Revista portuguesa de cardiologia : orgão oficial da Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia = Portuguese journal of cardiology : an official journal of the Portuguese Society of Cardiology
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Mitral stenosis is the most common valvular heart lesion found in pregnancy. When severe, it leads to significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality, since the hemodynamic adaptations to pregnancy are badly tolerated. Pregnancy can lead to development of heart failure in patients with asymptomatic or even unknown mitral stenosis, as a result of the increased mitral valve pressure gradient caused by the physiologic increase in heart rate and blood volume in pregnancy. When symptoms persist despite optimal medical therapy, the poor prognosis justifies the correction of mitral stenosis during pregnancy. ⋯ In pregnant patients who have severe mitral stenosis and persistent congestive heart failure symptoms despite conventional medical treatment, when feasible, percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty is the best treatment.