Jaundice in pregnancy can lead to complications such as high blood pressure, kidney damage, premature birth, stillbirth, gallstones, fluid retention, and developmental issues in the fetus. Causes include hepatitis, cholestasis of pregnancy, and preeclampsia. Symptoms include yellowing of mucous membranes, skin, and eyes, as well as depression, fatigue, and decreased appetite. Cholestasis can lead to serious complications such as premature delivery or stillbirth. Babies can also develop jaundice due to immature liver function or prematurity. Treatment depends on the underlying cause.
The complications of jaundice in pregnancy are largely due to the underlying causes of this condition. Some of the complications that can arise include a mother’s dangerously high blood pressure, damage to a woman’s kidneys, a premature birth and stillbirth. A pregnant woman with jaundice can develop gallstones and experience fluid retention. Developmental complications in the fetus may also occur. Liver failure due to a buildup of fat on that organ can also be a complication leading to the development of jaundice and may lead doctors to perform an emergency delivery.
Most often, jaundice in pregnancy is due to hepatitis or a condition known as cholestasis of pregnancy, which is characterized by extreme itching during the third trimester of pregnancy. Jaundice during pregnancy can also be caused by preeclampsia, which is characterized by protein in a woman’s urine and an increase in blood pressure. While jaundice during pregnancy by itself doesn’t necessarily trigger complications or pose a risk to the mother or baby, the presence of any of these contributing factors to the development of jaundice can. Treatment options depend on the underlying cause.
In addition to a woman’s mucous membranes, skin, and eyes developing a yellow hue, other symptoms of jaundice can also cause discomfort and concern during pregnancy. These symptoms include depression, fatigue and a noticeable decrease in appetite. Some women also experience pain and nausea as a result of developing jaundice in pregnancy.
Cholestasis, one of the most serious causes of jaundice during pregnancy, causes bile to build up in the liver. As a result, an overflow of bile can enter the woman’s bloodstream and cause serious complications, such as premature delivery or stillbirth. Women with a close relative who had cholestasis during pregnancy and women who carry multiple fetuses have a higher risk of developing this condition, which can also lead to the development of jaundice.
It is common for babies to be born or develop specific types of jaundice under certain conditions. Two of the most common types are physiological jaundice, which occurs because the baby’s liver is not mature enough to process bilirubin properly, and a type of jaundice that commonly occurs among premature babies. Just as jaundice in pregnancy can be the result of an underlying condition, babies can also be affected by jaundice in this way.
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