Pregnancy care and delivery management for patients with rheumatic heart diseases

Abstract

cute rheumatic fever (ARF) is an illness caused by a reaction to a bacterial infection with group A streptococcus. It causes an acute, generalised inflammatory response and an illness that targets specific parts of the body, including the heart, joints, brain and skin. Individuals with ARF are often unwell, have significant joint pain and require hospitalisation. Despite the dramatic nature of the acute episode, ARF typically leaves no lasting damage to the brain, joints or skin, but can cause persisting heart damage, termed ‘rheumatic heart disease’ (RHD). Recurrences of ARF may cause further cardiac valve damage. Thus, RHD steadily worsens in people who have multiple episodes of ARF