Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy: Spontaneous vs in vitro Fertilization

Severe Early-Onset Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy Following Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome with Pulmonary Presentation after In Vitro Fertilization: Case Report and Systematic Review of Case Reports

BACKGROUND

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is the most common pregnancy-related liver disease, usually presented in the third trimester with pruritus, elevated transaminase, and serum total bile acids. Evidence shows that it can be developed in the first trimester, more commonly after in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures, with the presence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).

METHODS

A literature search was conducted in the PubMed/MEDLINE database of case reports/studies reporting early-onset ICP in spontaneous and IVF pregnancies published until July 2023.

RESULTS

Thirty articles on early-onset ICP were included in the review analysis, with 19 patients who developed ICP in spontaneous pregnancy and 15 patients who developed ICP in IVF pregnancies with or without OHSS. Cases of 1st and 2nd trimester ICP in terms of "early-onset" ICP were pooled to gather additional findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Proper monitoring should be applied even before expected pregnancy and during IVF procedures in patients with known risk factors for OHSS and ICP development (patient and family history), with proper progesterone supplementation dosage and genetic testing in case of ICP recurrence.

Prevalence, risk factors and adverse perinatal outcomes for Chinese women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy: a large cross-sectional retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is the most common pregnancy-related liver disorder and may cause adverse perinatal outcomes. This large cross-sectional retrospective study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and related risk factors of ICP and determine the adverse perinatal outcomes.

METHODS

This large cohort study from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2019, included 39,742 eligible pregnant women. Data were extracted from the institutional electronic medical record database and analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to determine the risk factors and adverse perinatal outcomes of ICP.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of ICP was 3.81%. It was significantly higher in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive than negative women in all age groups, and in women with pre-pregnancy BMI underweight and obesity aged <25 years and ≥35 years than the other age groups. Multivariate logistic regression models showed an increased risk of ICP associated with maternal age <25 years and ≥35 years, pre-pregnancy underweight and obesity, HBsAg positive status, twin pregnancies, low maternal education, inadequate gestational weight gain, multiparous, in vitro fertilization, caesarean section history and the number of abortions ≥2. The presence of ICP was associated with increased risk of maternal outcomes of caesarean section and preterm birth, and neonatal outcomes of low birth weight and neonatal unit admission in singleton and twin pregnancies.

CONCLUSION

This study identified the prevalence, possible risk factors, and associated adverse perinatal outcomes of ICP, which provides useful information for clinicians to identify, counsel, and provide timely management for women at risk.KEY MESSAGESMaternal age <25 and ≥35, pre-pregnancy BMI underweight and obesity, hepatitis B surface antigen-positive status, twin pregnancies, low maternal education, inadequate gestational weight gain, multiparous, in vitro fertilization, caesarean section history and the number of abortions ≥2 are associated with an increased risk of ICP.Further, pregnancies with ICP are associated with an increased risk of maternal outcomes of caesarean section and preterm birth and neonatal outcomes of low birth weight and neonatal unit admission in singleton and twin pregnancies.

Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a rare but potentially serious complication of pregnancy, the main symptom of which is intense pruritus with elevated serum levels of bile acids. The elevated serum bile acid concentration is regarded as a predictor for poor perinatal outcome including intrauterine death. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has become established as the treatment of choice in clinical management to achieve a significant improvement in symptoms and reduce the cholestasis. Pregnant women with severe intrahepatic cholestasis should always be managed in a perinatal centre with close interdisciplinary monitoring and treatment involving perinatologists and hepatologists to minimise the markedly increased perinatal morbidity and mortality as well as maternal symptoms.

Rare case of obstetric cholestasis presenting in the first trimester following in vitro fertilisation

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) generally presents in the third trimester with pruritus without a rash, characterised by elevated bile acids, with or without transaminitis and hyperbilirubinaemia. Risk factors include a family history of cholestasis, South Asian ethnicity, multifetal gestation, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and history of hepatitis or biliary disorders.IVF involves the use of high dose gonadotropin stimulation and human chorionic gonadotropin trigger. High doses of progesterone supplementation are additionally given after embryo transfer. The increase in oestrogen and progesterone levels early on in the pregnancy is a possible explanation for the development of ICP in IVF pregnancies at earlier gestations.We present a rare case of iatrogenic ICP presenting in the first trimester in a pregnancy conceived by IVF. Unlike other cases reported, our patient did not have recurrence of ICP in the third trimester, and also had no history of ICP in her first pregnancy.

Pruritus after continuous administration of epidural morphine for post-cesarean delivery analgesia: a case control study

Background

Pruritus is one of the most common side effects of epidural morphine administered for post-surgery analgesia, and pregnant women tend to be highly susceptible. The relative contributions of morphine concentration, local anesthetics, and level of pain to pruritus after epidural morphine for post-cesarean delivery analgesia remain unclear. Accordingly, the present study aimed to identify risk factors for pruritus after continuous administration of epidural morphine for post-cesarean delivery analgesia.

Methods

This case control study was based on routinely collected clinical data. Participants included women who had undergone cesarean section and adopted a patient-controlled analgesia pump for postoperative analgesia. A series of logistic regression analyses were performed. Interaction terms were added to explore the moderation effects of combined local anesthetics and pain level on associations between morphine concentration and pruritus. Robustness of the results was checked through sensitivity analysis using propensity scores matching approach.

Results

Higher morphine concentration, assisted reproductive treatment, and multipara and cesarean section history were significantly more prevalent in the pruritus group than in the control group. The probabilities of pruritus at morphine concentrations of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 40 μg/mL increased sequentially from 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.35, 0.54 to 0.84, respectively. The trend remained steep in the ropivacaine stratum and became flatter when combined with levobupivacaine. At mild pain combined with levobupivacaine, the incidence of pruritus increased from 0.33 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.1–0.68) in the 10 μg/mL morphine group to 0.48 (95% CI 0.1–0.88) in the 40 μg/mL morphine group. In the stratum of moderate pain combined with levobupivacaine, the incidence increased from 0.4 (95% CI 0.04–0.92) to 0.56 (95% CI 0.03–0.98). The results in the sensitivity analysis were in consistent with above findings.

Conclusions

Higher concentrations of morphine, multipara, and assisted reproductive treatment were factors associated with a higher probability of pruritus. Pain level or combined local anesthetics could moderate the association between morphine concentration and pruritus.

Delayed Fulminant Hepatic Failure from Dydrogesterone-Related In Vitro Fertilization Therapy Requiring Liver Transplantation During Pregnancy

Patient: Female, 35-year-old

Final Diagnosis: Fulminant liver failure

Symptoms: Coagulopathy • hepatic encephalopathy • jaundice

Medication:—

Clinical Procedure: Liver transplantation

Specialty: Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy: are in vitro fertilization pregnancies at risk?

AIM

Single pregnancy patients with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) were divided into two groups according to the conception method, as spontaneous and in vitro fertilization (IVF). We aim to compare the maternal, laboratory and perinatal characteristics of both groups.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

The records of 10,929 patients who gave birth in the center between October 2011 and July 2019 were analyzed retrospectively from the data processing system records. Maternal, laboratory and perinatal characteristics of 109 single pregnancies (spontaneous n: 91; IVF n: 18) diagnosed with ICP were compared.

FINDINGS

The maternal demographic data of both groups were similar (p: .05). In both groups, gestational week, gestational age at birth, birth weight, neonatal intensive care admission rate, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, umbilical cord pH, the 5-minute APGAR score, and the presence of pregnancy complications were similar (p > .05).

RESULT

Although ICP is reported with a higher incidence in IVF pregnancies, ICP findings and prognosis are similar to those of spontaneous pregnancies.

Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy: A Case Study of the Rare Onset in the First Trimester

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a gestation-specific liver disorder, defined most often as the onset of pruritus, usually from the third trimester of pregnancy, associated with abnormal liver test results and/or increased total serum bile acids and spontaneous relief after delivery. The 21-year-old patient was admitted to our ward in the 11th week of pregnancy due to raised liver enzymes. The first onset of pruritus and jaundice appeared a month before hospitalization. Immunology tests and Toxoplasma gondii were negative. We excluded viral etiology, while alpha-1-antitrypsin, serum and urine copper levels, and thyroid hormones were within the reference values. The patient denied she had taken any medicines and herbal preparations before and during pregnancy. Total bile acids in the serum were significantly elevated (242 μmol/L). The abdominal ultrasound revealed a regular finding. Liver biopsy suggested a cholestatic liver disorder. After a presentation of all risks, the patient decided to stop the pregnancy. After a month, the hepatogram was within the reference values. Very rarely an ICP can occur in early pregnancy (first trimester), which calls for close monitoring. The risk of serious adverse fetal outcomes and spontaneous preterm delivery is proportional with increased levels of maternal serum bile acid.