Authors : Monica George, Purvi Parikh, Akanksha Chandekar, Prachi Meghani
DOI : 10.18231/j.ijogr.2023.015
Volume : 10
Issue : 1
Year : 2023
Page No : 70-74
Jaundice in pregnancy is an uncommon condition, affecting less than 5% of pregnant women globally and it carries a high risk of maternal and perinatal mortality. Although there are various causes of jaundice in pregnancy, viral hepatitis infection is the most common cause in India. This is a case of a 28-year old woman, in her third trimester who presented with severe nausea, vomiting and edema in her extremities. Laboratory tests revealed severe oligohydramnios with altered blood and electrolyte profile. A clinical diagnosis of jaundice in pregnancy was made and the patient underwent an emergency caesarean section due to the high-risk nature of her pregnancy. The causes of jaundice in pregnancy include acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP), hyperemesis gravidarum, hemolysis and elevated liver enzymes and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome, viral hepatitis and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. Due to the acute onset of her condition and based on the principle of elimination, acute fatty liver of pregnancy was suspected as the cause of jaundice in this patient. After delivery, the patient received several blood transfusions and was placed on conservative treatment for a week. Both, mother and child, recovered well and were discharged without any complications.
Keywords: Pregnancy, Jaundice, Acute fatty liver of pregnancy, Liver function test.