Comparison of maternal and fetal outcomes of laparoscopic versus open appendectomy in pregnancy

Acute appendicitis in pregnancy is a condition that can cause both maternal and fetal complications, and in patients who have decided to undergo surgery, laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) or open surgery (laparotomy appendectomy [LAA]) options are available. In this study, we aim to shed light on the relative advantages and disadvantages of the 2 surgical techniques. This retrospective study included 56 pregnant patients (15 LA, 41 LAA) who underwent surgery with the diagnosis of appendicitis at Ondokuz Mayis University Medical Faculty Hospital between 2015 and 2025. Demographic data, gestational age, duration of surgery, duration of hospital stay, complications, and birth outcomes of the patients were examined. Patients with pregnancy complications were not included in the study. The most striking finding in our study is that preterm birth was not observed in the LA group. In contrast, a 24.4% preterm birth rate was observed in the LAA group (P: .035). No significant difference was found between the 2 groups in terms of neonatal parameters such as gestational age, postnatal Apgar score, and birth weight. Although our findings are consistent with other studies on the reliability of the laparoscopic approach in pregnancy, the fact that the laparoscopic approach is preferred more in the early weeks of pregnancy in our center and our small sample size are the limitations of our study. Our study shows that LA is a safe option in appropriately selected pregnant women. These findings need to be supported by larger sample, multicenter studies.