Idiopathic Pericarditis and Pregnancy

Summary: The association of idiopathic pericarditis and pregnancy is described in 3 patients. The disease preceded the onset of pregnancy in 2 patients and appeared during the sixth month in the third. All pregnancies reached term and the deliveries were uneventful. One patient had mild heart failure before the pregnancy. This deteriorated slightly during its course. The remaining 2 patients had no signs of heart failure and none of the 3 had arrhythmias or embolic phenomena. Two patients were treated with aspirin and prednisone and one was treated for heart failure only. All patients are still symptomatic and require treatment 9 months, 1 year and 21 years after the pregnancy. Two of the patients underwent partial pericardiectomy.