Maternal permanent bradycardia: pregnancy and delivery.

Presented are six women with permanent bradycardia without myocardial involvement. Four women were asymptomatic, and two had repeated Adams-Stokes attacks and required the use of permanent pacemakers. All six women had 18 pregnancies with 15 deliveries of normal infants. During pregnancy and delivery all patients remained asymptomatic (functional capacity 1). The various cardiologic and obstetric aspects of these patients are discussed, and it is concluded that pregnancy and delivery in women with permanent bradycardia is possible, and their outcome is no different from that of normal, healthy women. However, cases with associated myocardial disease carry an increased risk and should therefore be carefully monitored during pregnancy and delivery.