Jaundice in Pregnancy

In a 2 year period, 18 pregnant women with jaundice were admitted from March 2008 to March 2010 to study the maternal and foetal outcome. 50% of women were unbooked, 33% were referred cases, and 72% were in their third trimester of pregnancy. Serum bilirubin was > 5 mg% in 38.8% of women. Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) and alkaline phosphatase were raised in a majority of women. Out of 18 women 15(83.3%) delivered, 2 (11.1%) remained undelivered and 1 (5.5%) women aborted, 72% of women delivered vaginally. Maternal mortality was 22.2%. Cause of death was hepatic encephalopathy with renal failure in 16.6% of the women and hepatic encephalopathy with renal failure with severe anaemia with disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC) in 5.5% of women. Perinatal mortality was 27%, all stillbirths. Jaundice in pregnancy is an important medical disorder requiring early diagnosis and management.