Aortic Pathologies and Pregnancy: A Special Focus on Connective Tissue Disorders
Petrit Bara
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Center ‘Mother Theresa, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine in Tirana, Albania
Lidra Gjyli
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Center ‘Mother Theresa, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine in Tirana, Albania
Marsela Gega
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Center ‘Mother Theresa, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine in Tirana, Albania
Xhina Belshi
Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Center ‘Mother Theresa, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine in Tirana, Albania
Gentian Vyshka *
Biomedical and Experimental Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine in Tirana, Albania
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Pregnancy represents a physiological status which, due to clear and typical hormonal and hemodynamic changes, is frequently accompanied by a high morbidity of aortic structures, in all of its segments. Such morbidity might become patent when a pre-gestational situation exists, especially with the mother suffering from connective tissue disorders. Nevertheless, morbid occurrences that will be met only during pregnancy are well known, with particular pathophysiological and etiological theories, as well as a diversity of treatments proposed in such an unusual setting. The authors discuss the main pathologies of aorta that are seen during pregnancy, from a theoretical point of view, and from a historical perspective as well. A special focus is made to the connective tissue disorders, and the theoretical considerations are illustrated with images of dissecting aneurysms of aorta.
Keywords: Aortic pathologies, pregnancy, coarctation, dissecting aneurism, connective tissue disorders, Marfan syndrome