Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.
Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a rare disease occurring mainly during the last trimester of pregnancy. Pruritus, often accompanied by excoriation of the skin but without other skin lesions, and elevated concentrations of bile acids are characteristic for this disorder. We present a 30-year-old woman with pruritus, elevated bile acids, ASAT and ALAT in the 22nd week of pregnancy. Treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid resulted in complete disappearance of the pruritus and normalisation of the bile acids, ASAT and ALAT. A healthy child was born at term. In the differential diagnosis of liver function abnormalities during pregnancy, ICP should be included. ICP responds very well to treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid, with no detrimental effects for mother and child.
den Dulk
M
M
Department of Internal Medicine, Rode Kruis Hospital, PO Box 60605, 2566 MJ The Hague, The Netherlands.
Valentijn
R M
RM
Welten
C A H C
CA
Beyer
G P J
GP
D000328:Adult; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid