Pregnancy is not recommended for individuals with this defect, unless the stenosis and its symptoms are extremely mild. There is the risk of heart failure, atrial fibrillation (rapid and erratic heartbeat), and the formation of blood clots, especially during the later stages of pregnancy. If a woman with mitral stenosis chooses to bear children, it is important that she be carefully tested before conception and monitored during gestation and for a time after childbirth.

Anyone with congenital heart disease, repaired or non-repaired, should consult with their cardiologist prior to becoming pregnant to review the risks.