Hospital prevalence and clinical-paraclinical profile of cardiovascular diseases during pregnancy among women managed in two referral hospitals in Yaounde, Cameroon

Author(s): Valerie Ndobo, Siddikatou Djibrilla, Murielle Bogne, Madye Ange Ngo Dingom, Wilfried Ndeme Mboussi, Pascal Mpono, Felicite Kamdem, Felix Essiben, Liliane Mfeukeu Kuate

Background: The occurrence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) during pregnancy increases maternal and fetal morbidity, with a risk of intrauterine growth restriction, prematurity, and stillbirth. Delayed diagnosis and inadequate prenatal follow-up worsen these complications and hospital admissions. This study aimed to estimate the hospital prevalence of CVDs among pregnant women followed up in two referral hospitals in Yaoundé and to describe their clinical and paraclinical profiles.

Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study in the cardiology and obstetrics-gynecology units of the Yaounde Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital and the Yaounde Central Hospital. Data on the diagnosis of CVDs, clinical, and paraclinical characteristics were collected from 116 women.

Results: The mean age of participants was 28 ± 7 years, ranging from 15 to 43 years. The most represented age group was 15–25 years (n = 49; 42%). Diagnosed CVDs included hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (n = 111; 95.6%), peripartum cardiomyopathy (n = 2; 1.7%), deep vein thrombosis (n = 1; 0.9%), atrial septal defect (n = 1; 0.9%), and atrioventricular block (n = 1; 0.9%). The most frequent risk factor was obesity (n = 40; 34.8%).

Conclusion: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were the most frequently diagnosed CVDs in our sample, with obesity as the main risk factor. However, further studies are needed to confirm these trends among pregnant women in Cameroon.