The use of laparoscopic surgery in pregnancy: evaluation of safety and efficacy.

Background: Laparoscopic surgery in pregnant women has become increasingly more common since the 1990s; however, the safety of laparoscopy in this population has been widely debated, particularly in emergent and urgent situations.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of all pregnant women following a nonobstetric abdominal operation at a University hospital between 1993 and 2007. Perioperative morbidity and mortality for the mother and fetus were evaluated.