An article discusses liver disease in pregnancy and also summarizes the results of the authors experience along with liver disorders unique to pregnancy. About 3% of pregnancies suffer abnormalities in liver tests which may be mild as self-limiting or severe as rapidly fatal. A retrospective analysis carried out in the Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital, revealed a rate of 0.52% of liver diseases in 16252 pregnant women over 5 years. 

Many liver diseases appear only during pregnancy and are believed to be associated with the pregnant state. These disorders have distinctive clinical features and timing of onset. Hyperemesis gravidarum surfaces in the first trimester, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy in the second or third trimester, preeclampsia, HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelet count) syndrome, and acute fatty liver of pregnancy are seen usually in the third trimester. The disorders of late pregnancy like preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and acute fatty liver of pregnancy may advance to severe liver dysfunction. 

Correctly diagnosis such a condition is crucial, as any delay can result in morbidity or mortality of both the mother and fetus. Early delivery and advances in supportive management can improve the prognosis.

Source- Kondrackiene J, Kupcinskas L. Liver diseases unique to pregnancy. Medicina (Kaunas). 2008;44(5):337-45. PMID: 18541949.