Abdominal aortic coarctation and pregnancy

Coarctation of the abdominal aorta was diagnosed in a pregnant hypertensive patient who presented with acute abdominal pain and fever. Extensive workup failed to establish another cause for the acute illness. Successful vascular reconstruction to correct renovascular hypertension and to bypass the coarctation was accomplished. The relationship of prgnancy to the symptomatology is discussed and evidence is presented which suggests that this case represents a variant of Takayasu's arteritis.