Liver stiffness in pregnant women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy: A case control study.

Background: Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a rare but severe complication for both the mother and the unborn child. The diagnosis is primarily based on elevated serum levels of bile acids. In a large ICP cohort, we here study in detail liver stiffness (LS) using transient elastography (TE), now widely used to non-invasively screen for liver cirrhosis within minutes.

Liver stiffness reversibly increases during pregnancy and independently predicts preeclampsia.

Aim: To study liver stiffness (LS) during pregnancy and its association with complications during pregnancy.

Methods: In this observational, diagnostic study, 537 pregnant women were prospectively enrolled at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University hospital Heidelberg and Salem Medical Center. LS was measured using the Fibroscan device (Echosens, Paris) in all women and in 41 cases 24 h after delivery.