Perinatal outcomes associated with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy^*

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study is to examine perinatal outcomes associated with cholestasis of pregnancy according to bile acid level and antenatal testing practice.

Study design: Retrospective cohort study of women with symptoms and bile acid testing from 2005 to 2014. Women were stratified by bile acid level: no cholestasis (<10 μmol/L), mild (10–39 μmol/L), moderate (40–99 μmol/L), and severe (≥100 μmol/L). The primary outcome was composite neonatal morbidity (hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, severe intraventricular hemorrhage, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, or death).

Results: 785 women were included; 487 had cholestasis (347 mild, 108 moderate, 32 severe) and 298 did not. After controlling for gestational age (GA), severe cholestasis was associated with the composite neonatal outcome (aRR 5.6, 95% CI 1.3–23.5) and meconium-stained fluid (aRR 4.82, 95%CI 1.6–14.2). Bile acid levels were not correlated with the frequency of testing (p = .50). Women who underwent twice weekly testing were delivered earlier (p = .016) than women tested less frequently, but the difference in GA was ≤4 d. Abnormal testing prompting delivery was uncommon. Among women with cholestasis, there were three stillbirths. One of these women was undergoing antenatal testing, which was normal 1 d prior to the fetal demise.

Conclusion: Severe cholestasis is associated with neonatal morbidity which antenatal testing may not predict.

Keywords:

• Cholestasis
• bile acids
• perinatal outcomes
• stillbirth

Acknowledgements

Authors thank Vickie Baer, RN: Research support nurse who performed data abstraction.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.