Hepatoma in pregnancy

We present the third case of hepatoma in pregnancy to be reported in an African. Despite the high incidence of hepatoma in the male population, hepatoma complicating pregnancy is very rare in this environment. Death usually occurs within one year of onset of symptoms. The clinical features during pregnancy do not differ appreciably from its presentation in the non-pregnant state. However, after pregnancy, as demonstrated in our case, the disease appears to pursue a more rapid course. These observations lend more weight to suggestions of a hormonal dependence of hepatoma.