title: Diagnosing appendicitis during pregnancy.
abstract: In a 10 year period, 29 of 36 pregnant patients (81 percent) thought preoperatively to have appendicitis had the diagnosis confirmed at operation. Postoperative fetal complications included one intrauterine death and five premature births. There were no maternal deaths and morbidity was limited to atelectasis in five patients. Prompt surgical intervention in 90 percent of our patients did not prevent fetal complications.
mesh_terms: D001064:Appendicitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011292:Premedication