title: [Clinical analysis of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To generate a comprehensive clinical profile of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) by systematically reviewing ICP cases managed in our hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  The recorded clinical data, including diagnosis, complications, management, and maternal and infant outcomes, of nine ICP cases were collected retrospectively and reviewed systematically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven of the nine total ICP patients presented with pruritus. All nine of the ICP patients showed bile acid level beyond the normal range. ICP complications included gestational hypertension (n = 3), diabetes mellitus (DM, n = 1) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT, n = 1), and pre-eclampsia (n = 1). The infant of one patient with severe ICP showed meconium-stained liquor. All nine of the ICP patients underwent surgical delivery, of which three were delivered preterm (between the 35th and 36th week of gestation). All mothers' total bile acids declined to normal levels after delivery, and all infants survived without complication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ICP does not increase the puerpera mortality rate and does not represent a poor prognosis for infants. Bile acid levels in the ICP patients, however, may be related to the extent of premature delivery time. While the standard drug treatment of ursodeoxycholic acid is suitable for most ICP cases, those with insufficient gestational age may benefit from adjuvant corticosteroid therapy to promote fetal lung maturation prior to preterm delivery. Severe ICP cases should be managed by inducing artificial labor or performing Caesarean section.
authors.affiliation: Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang Shandong 261031, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xin-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xiao-Juan
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Ji-Dong
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Jia
mesh_terms: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011537:Pruritus; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid