How safe is pregnancy after liver transplantation? A large case series study at tertiary referral center in Turkey

Abstract

Objective: To investigate pregnancy outcomes and to define preventative measures against to risk factors and complications in pregnancy after liver transplantation. Secondary aim is to report postpartum allograft functions in these patients.Method: This is a case series study. All pregnant women with liver transplantations performed in our hospital were enrolled. Patients’ hospital medical records, electronic records Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) records were used to collect data. Obstetric characteristics and antenatal complications, risk factors, pregnancy and neonatal outcomes, all aspects of liver transplant variables and allograft functions after pregnancy were studied.Results: A total of 11 patients were included in the study. All of them were singleton. Mean maternal age was 29.3 ± 3.9 years. And mean gestational week of delivery was 37.2 ± 2.2. 78% of the women were delivered at term (>37 weeks) only two babies were preterm and discharged from NICU without any complications. Birth weight (gr median ± SD) was 2575 ± 345. Five (45%) patients were nulliparous, majority of the cases (8/11, 72%) were conceived of pregnant with natural way. Live birth rate was 81% (9/11). Only one patient for each has suffered from fetal growth restriction, maternal anemia, maternal hyperthyroidism, and ulcerative colitis. Vaginal bleeding was seen in five women during the pregnancy. There was no maternal death, stillbirth or neonatal death. The mode of delivery for all live birth pregnancies was C-section. And none of them was emergency C-section. No complication of allograft function was seen after pregnancy.Conclusion: Pregnancy in women with liver transplantation is not associated with poor pregnancy outcomes and complications for both the mother and the neonates when these patients followed up at tertiary referral center with multidisciplinary approaches.