A recent study published in the International Journal of Cardiology examined the fertility levels of pregnant women with congenital heart disease (CHD) compared to those without CHD. The study, which utilized data from the Danish National Birth Cohort, included 93,832 pregnant women between 1996 and 2002. The results showed that patients with CHD did not have impaired fertility when compared to the control group. The cohorts consisted of women with median ages of 29 and 30 years, with a majority having no children. Both groups had a regular menstrual cycle, although a slightly higher percentage of the control group used oral contraceptives before pregnancy. Overall, the self-reported health status was similar between the two cohorts. In terms of planned pregnancies, 18.1% of pregnancies in the CHD cohort and 17.6% in the control cohort were unplanned. Furthermore, the majority of both groups tried to conceive for five months or less. A smaller percentage tried to conceive for longer periods or required medical assistance. These findings suggest that patients with CHD who become pregnant do not experience compromised fertility compared to other pregnant individuals. Understanding fertility in this population is crucial for healthcare providers when advising and supporting patients with CHD who wish to conceive. Further research is needed to explore additional factors and potential interventions that may impact fertility in this specific patient group.

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