RHD can make pregnancy and delivery more risky for mothers and babies. However, many women with RHD can have healthy pregnancies and health babies with the right medical care. Sometimes this care needs to be very specalised and may mean travelling to a large hospital. It is important to have plenty of information about your heart disease to make decisions about having babies.

Questions to your doctor may include

• Is it safe for me to become pregnant?
• Are my medications safe to take while I am pregnant?
• What should I do if become pregnant?

Some women with specific types of severe RHD may need to avoid pregnancy. Access to family planning is important to allow women and their families to make safe choices about having children.

Current studies exploring RHD in pregnancy include:

• The RHD in pregnancy study using the AMOSS (Australasian Maternity Outcomes Surveillance System)