Higher Risk of Preterm Birth Linked to Liver Disease in Pregnancy

Women who are pregnant and suffer from metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) face a higher likelihood of delivering their babies early, suggests a recent study from Karolinska Institutet featured in the journal. This heightened risk isn’t due to obesity, as previously thought. eClinicalMedicine .

It is believed that approximately one in every five individuals in Sweden suffers from MASLD, formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, with this condition potentially affecting up to three out of ten people worldwide. Common contributing factors include metabolic issues like type 2 diabetes and being overweight or obese. This ailment has seen an uptick in prevalence, even amongst women who can bear children. Scientists have recently explored the link between expectant mothers' MASLD and various outcomes related to their pregnancies and newborns’ health.

Threefold increase in risk

This research relies on Swedish registry information and encompasses a total of 240 deliveries involving women diagnosed with MASLD, alongside 1,140 births from women within the broader populace who have been matched accordingly. It was found that women affected by MASLD had over triple the likelihood of experiencing premature childbirth. Notably, this heightened risk remained consistent regardless of the intensity of their condition and stayed elevated even when contrasted against those who were overweight or obese but lacked an identified case of MASLD.

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