Acute fatty liver of pregnancy at 19 weeks and 0 days of gestation after prolonged hyperemesis gravidarum

Abstract

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) is a rare disorder that typically develops in the third trimester. We successfully diagnosed and treated a case of AFLP that developed at 18 weeks' gestation. A 34-year-old woman-gravida 4, para 3-presented with continuous vomiting and abdominal pain and developed convulsive seizures and lost consciousness after transfusion therapy. Cerebral apoplexy was excluded by computed tomography of the brain. Blood tests revealed severe metabolic acidosis, coagulopathy, and leukocytosis, followed by severe hypoglycemia and elevated levels of transaminases and ammonia. The fetus was delivered dead. Whole-body computed tomography showed fatty liver. The patient was diagnosed with AFLP based on the Swansea criteria. AFLP may be a differential diagnosis in the second trimester, and rapid termination should be considered as radical treatment. Starvation may be a risk factor for this disorder.

Keywords: acute fatty liver of pregnancy; hyperemesis gravidarum; hypoglycemia; second trimester; starvation.