Appendicitis during pregnancy: what are the risks.
Appendicitis during pregnancy is the most common surgical complication of this condition. If this is not taken care of early, the problem can worsen and increase the danger to the mother and the fetus.
Appendicitis is not a common condition during pregnancy. It is a condition that can occur at any time in a woman's life. However, if appendicitis during pregnancy is not identified early enough, it can get worse.
In addition, it not only affects the mother but also threatens the well-being of the fetus. So the doctor will most of the time choose to perform emergency surgery.
The identification of the disease will depend on the experience of the specialist, the suspected diagnosis as well as the times of evolution of the clinical picture.
What is appendicitis?
Appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix, located in the area where the large intestine begins. The main cause of this condition is the blockage of a small duct called the appendix lumen.
It causes rapid stretching of the tissues due to the tension. As a result, the nerve fibers are stimulated and cause diffuse pain.
Also, as the distension progresses, perforation may occur in the area.
Appendix perforation is the most important factor in fetal and maternal death, as it causes the contents of the intestine to disperse into the abdominal cavity, called peritonitis.
Classic symptoms of appendicitis.
The symptoms of appendicitis during pregnancy are similar to those of a non-pregnant woman. However, due to normal changes during pregnancy, these symptoms may vary a bit and may even be confusing for doctors:
Pain in the right iliac fossa (right lower quadrant), Nausea and vomiting, Leukocytosis, Spasms, Abdominal stiffness, pain and hypersensitivity, Fever, Tachycardia, Constipation, or diarrhea.
Complications.
Treatment of appendicitis during pregnancy should be surgical and carried out urgently, regardless of the stage of pregnancy. However, the surgeon faces very special challenges due to the normal changes this condition brings about.
During pregnancy, a woman undergoes certain anatomical changes in the position of certain organs, including the appendix. In these cases, it is said that there is a displacement of internal organs.
In addition, there are other important changes (for example, the size of the uterus increases, and abdominal palpation is difficult).
The aforementioned changes make diagnosis difficult. Some points of hypersensitivity, such as McBurney's point , change during pregnancy, making it difficult to correctly identify acute appendicitis.
In addition, other physiological changes affect the interpretation of laboratory studies and physical examination. Such as anemia, decreased heart rate, or leukocytosis, among other conditions.
If the diagnosis is not made in time, it can lead to health complications such as:
Localized abscess, Diffuse peritonitis, Pileflebitis, Abortion, Premature delivery, Fetal death, Maternal death, Generalized sepsis, Urinary tract infection, Differential diagnosis.
Appendicitis during pregnancy: a difficult diagnosis.
In addition to the risk of appendicitis during pregnancy and its complications, there is also the difficulty of making a diagnosis. Specialists usually perform other studies that allow them to rule out diseases with similar symptoms. This procedure is called a differential diagnosis.
UTIs, stasis, twisted ovarian cysts, postural pain, early symptoms of abortion or labor, among other health problems, are some of these conditions.
The risks of appendicitis during pregnancy.
The risk of appendicitis during pregnancy directly depends on early diagnosis and removal of the diseased appendix. If they are treated on time, the complications and risks are reduced considerably.
Appendicitis during pregnancy is serious for the mother. However, it is even more dangerous for the fetus. Due to the perforation of the appendix, the baby may die a few hours later.
Statistics regarding the risk of appendicitis during pregnancy vary according to several surveys. The percentage of premature births and abortions reached 8.3% and 2.6% of the population studied.
In addition, some authors have defined a maternal mortality rate almost equal to zero, compared to a variable percentage between 0 and 11% for the fetus.
Conclusions.
In summary, the risk of appendicitis during pregnancy increases depending on the pregnancy status of the pregnant woman, which can lead to fetal complications and infection of the surgical site.
For this reason, early diagnosis allows a woman and her baby to be treated quickly with minimal complications and risks.
