Acute pancreatitis in pregnancy

Acute pancreatitis in pregnancy is rare. Our purpose in this study was to discuss the etiology, incidence and course of pancreatitis in pregnancy and to evaluate the maternal and perinatal outcomes.

Pregnant women with pancreatitis admitted to China Medical College Hospital, Taiwan, from 1980 to 1995 were studied retrospectively. A total of 16 patients were enrolled in the study. Two patients had gallstones and hyperlipidemia; four had gallstones alone; seven had hyperlipidemia alone; one had gestational diabetes mellitus; one had hyperparathyroidism and pregnancy-induced hypertension alone; and one had Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Conservative treatment and low-fat diets were administered to the patients.

The incidence of gestational pancreatitis in this series was one in 6,790 pregnancies. The fetal outcome included eight preterm deliveries and three fetal losses. There were no maternal mortalities. The etiologies of pancreatitis were primary hyperlipidemia (56.3%) and gallstones (37.5%). All patients responded favorably to supportive therapy, and most of the symptoms subsided after delivery.

Early diagnosis and treatment is of utmost importance in the management of acute pancreatitis in pregnancy. The results of this study showed good maternal outcome following appropriate treatment. Fetal prognosis was less favorable and was most often associated with hyperlipidemia. Fetal monitoring is essential during the management of pancreatitis in pregnancy.