Characteristics and outcomes of socioeconomically disadvantaged pregnant individuals with adult congenital heart disease presenting to a Cardio-Obstetrics Program

BACKGROUND: Outcomes of individuals with adult congenital heart disease who are socioeconomically disadvantaged and cared for in cardio-obstetrical programs, are lacking. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics, maternal pregnancy outcomes, and contraceptive uptake in individuals with adult congenital heart disease in an urban cardio-obstetrical program. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective data were collected for individuals with adult congenital heart disease seen in the Maternal Fetal Medicine-Cardiology Joint Program at Montefiore Health System between 2015 and 2021 and compared using modified World Health Organization class I, II vs the modified World Health Organization class ≥II/III. RESULTS: Over 90% of individuals with adult congenital heart disease were pregnant at the time of referral. Modified World Health Organization class I, II (n=77, 62.4% Black or Hispanic/Latina) had a total of 94 pregnancies and modified World Health Organization class ≥II/III (n=49, 49.0% Black or Hispanic/Latina) had a total of 56 pregnancies. Over 25% of individuals in each group had a body mass index ≥30 (P=.78), and very low summary socioeconomic scores. Modified World Health Organization class ≥II/III were more likely to be anticoagulated in the first trimester than modified World Health Organization class I, II (10.7% vs 0.0%, P=.002) and throughout pregnancy (14.3% vs 3.2% P=.02). Modified World Health Organization class ≥II/III were more likely to require arterial monitoring during delivery than modified World Health Organization class I, II (14.3% vs 0.0%, P=.001) or delivery under general anesthesia (8.9% vs 1.1%, P=.03) but had a comparable frequency of cesarean delivery (35.8% vs 41.3%, P=.68). There were no in-hospital maternal deaths. There was no difference in the type of contraception recommended by modified World Health Organization class, however, modified World Health Organization class ≥II/III were more likely to receive long-acting types or permanent sterilization (35.6% vs 54.6%, P=.045). CONCLUSION: In a socioeconomically disadvantaged cohort with adult congenital heart disease from a historically marginalized community, those with modified World Health Organization class ≥II/III had more complex antepartum and intrapartum needs but similar maternal and obstetrical outcomes as modified World Health Organization class I, II. The multidisciplinary approach offered by a cardio-obstetrics program may contribute to successful outcomes in this high-risk cohort, and these data are hypothesis-generating.