Assessing the Role of Echocardiography in Pregnancy in First Nations Australian Women: Is It an Underutilised Resource?

• Published in: Heart, Lung and Circulation
• Main Authors: Marangou, James, Ferguson, Dominic, Unger, Holger W, Kaethner, Alex, Ilton, Marcus, Remenyi, Bo, Ralph, Anna P
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Science 2024
• Subjects: Echocardiography; First Nations Australians; Obstetric-cardiology; Pregnancy; Rheumatic heart disease; First Nations
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hlc.2024.04.301; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38918121

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remains prevalent within First Nations Australian communities. RHD is more common in females and peak prevalence corresponds with childbearing age. Significant valvular disease can complicate pregnancy. Current practice in Northern Australia is to refer pregnant women for echocardiography if there are signs or symptoms of possible cardiac pathology or a history of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) or RHD. It is not currently routine practice to offer echocardiographic screening for all pregnant women at high risk of RHD.