Some unusual cases of defibrination in pregnancy

Jaundice in pregnancy

In the 5-year period 1964–68, 16 cases of jaundice in pregnancy were encountered in the Queen Mother's Hospital, Glasgow—an incidence of one in 853 deliveries. The cases, classified according to clinical and biochemical findings, showed considerable variation in type. Infectious hepatitis and intrahepatic cholestatic jaundice were the commonest varieties but there were cases associated with acute urinary tract infection, with prolonged vomiting, and due to extra-hepatic biliary obstruction. One patient had afibrinogenaemia, and Factor VII deficiency was present in 5 patients. Liver biopsy during pregnancy was not considered necessary. There were no maternal deaths although many of the patients had a severe illness and one proceeded to develop signs of cirrhosis. The two foetal deaths in the series were in infants delivered before the 30th week of gestation. Premature labour is a risk in jaundice as in any other acute illness in pregnancy.