Pregnancy liver disorder treatment ineffective: Study

New Delhi : A study has found that treatment for liver disorder during pregnancy that can result in preterm birth and stillbirth is not effective and it must be reconsidered.

According to the study published in The Journal, it has been found that 605 pregnant women with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), a liver disorder, were recruited with half receiving ursodeoxycholic acid (known as ‘urso’), the current drug used to treat the condition, and half a placebo.

The study results found urso did not have an impact on pregnancy outcomes including preterm birth, neonatal unit admission, and stillbirth. The researchers also found that there were no meaningful improvements in the itching for most of the women.

“We want to find a safe and effective treatment for women with cholestasis of pregnancy so that we can prevent stillbirths in this condition. This trial has shown that the widely used drug ursodeoxycholic acid is not the answer. It is essential that we share these findings with pregnant women and clinicians so that we can avoid unnecessary medication in pregnancy. We now need to focus on finding a treatment that does work,” said the lead author of the study, Professor Lucy Chappell.

What is Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP)?

It is a kind of liver disorder that affects approximately 5,500 pregnancies annually in the UK. Under this bile acids are build up in the blood.

Symptoms: Itching in the body.

What Next?

The researchers are now finding another solution to treat liver disorder in pregnant women. A clinical drug trial will be starting in early 2020 using rifampicin, an antibiotic that is also an effective treatment for itch outside pregnancy and improves removal of bile acids from the bloodstream.