Autoimmune Hepatitis and Obstetrical Outcomes: A Nationwide Assessment

Previous research identified AIH as linked to unfavorable obstetrical outcomes in a US nationwide retrospective study from 2012-2016. Our aim is to update the literature and strengthen the AIH-pregnancy outcomes relationship.

Using the National Inpatient Sample database in the US, from 2016 to 2020, we compared pregnant females with a diagnosis of AIH to those with and without other chronic liver diseases (CLD), using ICD-10-CM codes. Baseline characteristics were analyzed using T-test and Chi-Square, and multivariate regression was used to estimate the differences in maternal outcomes adjusted for age, race, insurance status, geographical location, hospital characteristics, and comorbid conditions.

Out of 19,392,328 hospitalizations for pregnant females ≥ 18 years old from 2016 to 2020, 1095 had AIH, 179,655 had CLD, and 19,206,696 had no CLD. No mortality was observed among individuals with AIH. When compared to individuals without CLD, AIH was associated with an 82% increase in the odds of preterm delivery (AIH: 8% vs. Without CLD: 5%, adjusted Odds Ratio = 1.82, 95% CI 1.06-3.14), with no significant differences in gestational diabetes mellitus, hypertensive complications, and postpartum hemorrhage, and a 0.6 day longer hospital stay. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in outcomes between AIH and CLD.

Our study reinforces the association of AIH with adverse obstetrical outcomes (e.g., preterm delivery), however, we found that there is no difference in GDM and hypertensive complications, as suggested in prior studies. Therefore, further investigations are needed to clarify the association between AIH and these obstetrical complications.