Courtney Peets was born a “blue baby.” Diagnosed with a complex form of congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries with a ventricular septal defect (VSD), pulmonary stenosis, and a single coronary artery, she was not offered surgery in early childhood because of her complex anatomy. Ultimately, when she was 17, she did have surgical repair: Doctors closed her VSD and placed a pulmonary homograft.
Courtney improved, became an active young adult, and married. In 2009, Courtney developed arrhythmias. Her pediatric cardiologist counseled her to avoid pregnancy. She was seen for a second opinion by Lisa Forbess, M.D., Co-Director of the UT Southwestern Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program.
Courtney had a comprehensive evaluation, including consults in electrophysiology and maternal-fetal medicine. After receiving counseling on the elevated risk of pregnancy, Courtney and her husband decided to proceed. Her pregnancy was complicated by both arrhythmia and congestive heart failure (CHF), requiring brief hospitalizations. She had recurrent CHF at 37 weeks of pregnancy and remained hospitalized until labor was induced at 38 weeks. Courtney delivered a healthy boy, and both mother and son are doing well today.
