Wilson's disease in pregnancy

Acta Clin Croat. 2013 Dec;52(4):529-32.

Abstract

Wilson's disease is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of copper metabolism. It causes cirrhosis of the liver, consequently followed by disorder of the menstrual cycle and infertility. Successful decopperizing may lead to restoration of the ovulatory cycle and enable pregnancy. Increased copper levels may cause preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction and neurologic damages in the fetus. Pregnant women with decompensated liver cirrhosis face more complications, including bleeding from esophageal varices, liver failure, encephalopathy, and rupture of the splenic artery. We present a case of Wilson's disease in a patient who had spontaneously conceived three times. The first pregnancy ended with delivery of a healthy baby at term. In second pregnancy, medically induced abortion was performed in the 12th week because of deterioration of the underlying disease, liver cirrhosis with portal hypertension. In the same year, the patient underwent liver transplantation. Two years after the transplantation, the patient spontaneously conceived and delivered vaginally a healthy child.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Hepatolenticular Degeneration / diagnosis
  • Hepatolenticular Degeneration / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Liver Function Tests
  • Liver Transplantation
  • Perinatal Care / methods
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / diagnosis*
  • Pregnancy Complications / surgery*
  • Pregnancy Outcome*