Preexisting Liver Disease and Pregnancy: Optimizing Care to Optimize Outcomes.

Preexisting liver disease, particularly the presence of cirrhosis and portal hypertension (PHT), presents a significant challenge during gestation, necessitating close collaboration between obstetric and hepatology/gastroenterology teams. Women with underlying liver conditions face an increased likelihood of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Proactive identification and management of the potential risks associated with pregnancy in this patient group is therefore crucial. While the desire to start a family is deeply personal, each pregnancy carries unique risks requiring careful consideration. Although no single recommendation can comprehensively address all forms of liver disease, pregnancy in women with underlying hepatic conditions can be both safe and achievable when managed througha multidisciplinary team approach, involving the mother and her partner from the preconception stage through to the postpartum period. This review summarizes the current evidence regarding the risks and management strategies for pregnancy complicated by preexisting liver disease, including cirrhosis and PHT, steatotic liver disease, viral hepatitis, autoimmune liver disease, and liver transplant recipients. Cite this article as: I E, A F, MA H. Preexisting liver disease and pregnancy: optimizing care to optimize outcomes. Turk J Gastroenterol. 2026;37(2):146-160.

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Publication Details

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PubMed
Published
2026-01-02
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5152/tjg.2026.25753
Primary Topic
Pregnancy and Medication Impact
Type
article
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article

Preexisting Liver Disease and Pregnancy: Optimizing Care to Optimize Outcomes.

Ilkay Ergenc, Michael Heneghan
PubMed
Pregnancy and Medication Impact
article

Preexisting Liver Disease and Pregnancy: Optimizing Care to Optimize Outcomes.

Ilkay Ergenc, Michael Heneghan
article en

Abstract

Preexisting liver disease, particularly the presence of cirrhosis and portal hypertension (PHT), presents a significant challenge during gestation, necessitating close collaboration between obstetric and hepatology/gastroenterology teams. Women with underlying liver conditions face an increased likelihood of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Proactive identification and management of the potential risks associated with pregnancy in this patient group is therefore crucial. While the desire to start a family is deeply personal, each pregnancy carries unique risks requiring careful consideration. Although no single recommendation can comprehensively address all forms of liver disease, pregnancy in women with underlying hepatic conditions can be both safe and achievable when managed througha multidisciplinary team approach, involving the mother and her partner from the preconception stage through to the postpartum period. This review summarizes the current evidence regarding the risks and management strategies for pregnancy complicated by preexisting liver disease, including cirrhosis and PHT, steatotic liver disease, viral hepatitis, autoimmune liver disease, and liver transplant recipients. Cite this article as: I E, A F, MA H. Preexisting liver disease and pregnancy: optimizing care to optimize outcomes. Turk J Gastroenterol. 2026;37(2):146-160.

PubMedVol. 37(2)
University of Calgary (CA), King's College Hospital (GB)
Good health and well-being
Openalex Percentile: Top 61%
Pregnancy and Medication Impact
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