title: Pregnancy with autoimmune hepatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to review our experience with gestations in autoimmune hepatitis patients.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  There are only limited data describing pregnancy in patients with autoimmune hepatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of pregnancies with autoimmune hepatitis followed in Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Portugal in the last ten years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We reported nine pregnancies in seven patients with autoimmune hepatitis. Two patients had documented liver cirrhosis prior to the pregnancy. In this study, 66.7% of patients were treated with azathioprine and 88.9% with prednisolone. Clinical improvements were observed in 11.1% of pregnancies and 22.2% exacerbations were diagnosed. There were six live births and two preterm deliveries (preterm delivery rate of 33%). We also report three first trimester miscarriages (early gestation miscarriage rate of 33%). There were no neonatal or maternal deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The favorable obstetric outcome is a realistic expectation in patients with autoimmune hepatitis. Tight monitoring and control of asymptomatic and unpredictable exacerbations, which are unrelated to the severity of the underlying disease, are essential to the prognosis of the current pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics Department, Centro Materno Infantil do Norte - Centro Hospitalar do Porto (CHP), Oporto, Portugal.
authors.forename: António Costa
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.affiliation: Clinical Immunology Unit. CHP, Oporto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vasconcelos
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics Department, Centro Materno Infantil do Norte - Centro Hospitalar do Porto (CHP), Oporto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Braga
keywords: azathioprine; high-risk pregnancy; liver disorder and pregnancy