Is pregnancy contraindicated after cardiac transplantation? A case report and literature review

We report a cardiac allograft recipient who conceived 5 months after transplantation and spontaneously delivered a full term healthy baby girl. Pregnancy in cardiac transplant recipients is gradually becoming a more frequent issue as more patients in this population consider child bearing. In order to advise patients on potential adverse outcomes due to pregnancy, we reviewed the literature on pregnancy after cardiac transplantation. Published reports show that pregnancy in this population carry a higher risk for complications, in particular there is a higher incidence of pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, premature labor, premature and low birth weight infants. The risk for these complications, however, is not higher than for pregnancies of renal or liver transplant recipients, to which pregnancy is not invariably advised against. Despite a greater frequency of complications during pregnancy, successful delivery of a healthy infant is the rule, without any detectable long-lasting adverse effects on both mother and offspring. Thus, while cardiac transplant recipients who wish to become pregnant should be counseled on possible complications, it appears that a satisfactory outcome can generally be expected. Additionally, we discuss further issues pertinent to the care of such patients, including hemodynamic changes, immunosuppression, and rejection surveillance during their pregnancies.