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Possible association between symptomatic cholelithiasis-complicated cholecystitis in pregnant women and congenital

Nándor Acs1, Ferenc Bánhidy, Erzsébet H Puhó

  • 1Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Semmelweis University, School of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.

European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology
|May 12, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Maternal gallstone disease during pregnancy, particularly in the second and third months, is linked to an increased risk of neural tube defects in newborns. Further research is needed to confirm this association.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Teratology

Background:

  • Symptomatic cholelithiasis and complicated cholecystitis are common conditions during pregnancy.
  • The impact of these biliary diseases on fetal development, specifically congenital abnormalities, requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the association between symptomatic cholelithiasis and complicated cholecystitis in pregnant women and the risk of congenital abnormalities in their offspring.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based Hungarian Case-Control Surveillance System of Congenital Abnormalities was utilized.
  • Pregnant women with malformed fetuses/newborns (cases) were compared with those who delivered healthy babies (controls).
  • The occurrence of medically recorded symptomatic cholelithiasis and complicated cholecystitis during pregnancy was assessed.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences in maternal variables were observed between cases and controls for these biliary diseases.
  • An association was found between symptomatic cholelithiasis and complicated cholecystitis in the second/third gestational months and neural tube defects (adjusted OR: 4.1, 95% CI: 1.3-13.4).

Conclusions:

  • Offspring of mothers with severe biliary system diseases during pregnancy exhibited a higher rate of neural tube defects.
  • The observed association warrants further studies to determine causality or if it is a chance finding.
Abstract

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