Un-operated transposition of the great arteries in a 31-year-old Yoruba, Nigerian woman

Transposition of the great arteries (TGA) is incompatible with life unless there exist shunts between the two parallel circulations. Even where shunts are present, it still remains a lethal cyanotic congenital heart disease if it is not surgically corrected soon after birth. We report the case of a 31-year-old woman with un-operated TGA who not only survived but was able to carry a pregnancy to term. This may not be unconnected with the fact that she has associated atrial and ventricular septal defects.