Maternity and lung transplantation: cases in Spain

Abstract

We contacted and analyzed the data of 18 lung transplant recipients who had had children. The complications we detected included: hypertension (50%), diabetes mellitus (21%), preeclampsia (13%), infection (21%), rejection (30%), loss of graft function (23%) and a lower percentage of live births than in transplant recipients of other organs. Other aspects to keep in mind are: the potential risk for fetal alterations (caused by drugs used as prophylaxis against rejection crossing the placental barrier); greater risk for infection and alterations in drug levels due to changes in metabolism typical of pregnancy and postpartum period. We describe the two cases in Spain of female lung transplant recipients who have had children after transplantation. Although pregnancy in these cases can have a similar evolution as in non-transplanted women, doctors should recommend their transplanted patients to avoid becoming pregnant, while explaining the high risk of both fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality after transplantation.