Liver disease in pregnancy is known to cause severe adverse outcomes on both mother and foetus. However, there is still limited data describing the prevalence, profile and impact of liver disease on outcome of pregnancy. The authors of the study evaluated the frequency, causes and outcome of liver disease in pregnant women.

The study included pregnant women with liver disease attending the inpatient or outpatient services of the Departments of Gastro-enterology and Obstetrics and Gynecology between December 2002 and October 2004, who were followed up till 2 weeks postpartum or death.

The outcome of the study demonstrated liver disease was found in 107 (0.9%) of 12,061 pregnancies. Among these, 56 (52.3%) had pregnancy-specific liver disorders such as pregnancy-induced hypertension [PIH]-associated liver dysfunction (36) including HELLP syndrome (22) and pre-eclamptic liver dysfunction (14), intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (10), hyperemesis gravidarum (7), acute fatty liver of pregnancy (3). Less number of patients had liver disorders non-specific to pregnancy such as hepatitis E (16), hepatitis B, non A-E hepatitis and chronic liver disease (5 each) and others (14); in 6 patients had no cause. A total of 96 patients completed follow up. Overall maternal and perinatal mortality rates were 19.7% and 35.4%, respectively.

Thus, it can be concluded that PIH-associated liver dysfunction is the most frequent cause of liver disease in pregnancy, which is related to significant maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality.

Source: Effect of liver disease on maternal and fetal outcome--a prospective study. Indian J Gastroenterol. 2007 Mar-Apr;26(2):59-63. PMID: 17558066.