Pregnancy outcome with intrahepatic cholestasis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the management and outcome of obstetric cholestasis in our perinatology unit. MATERIALS-METHODS: We analyzed forty pregnant patients complicated by cholestasis who gave birth at our hospital from January 2003 to December 2006. RESULTS: Forty women of mean age 29.72±6.42 years delivered 51 newborns. The median gestation at diagnosis of obstetric cholestasis was 32.35±3.78 weeks. Twenty-four women required caesarean section (%60); only eight (%33.3) were for fetal distress. Ten women (%25) delivered before 37 weeks. Incidence of meconium stained liquor in labour was % 17.6. 11.7% of babies were admitted to the neonatal unit mainly due to prematurity. Perinatal mortality rate was found % 3.9. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical features and laboratory investigations are essential for the diagnosis of obstetric cholestasis. There is a need for antenatal fetal and maternal monitoring