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World J Gastroenterol. Nov 21, 2013; 19(43): 7639-7646
Published online Nov 21, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i43.7639
Liver diseases in pregnancy: Diseases unique to pregnancy
Khulood T Ahmed, Ashraf A Almashhrawi, Rubayat N Rahman, Ghassan M Hammoud, Jamal A Ibdah
Khulood T Ahmed, Ashraf A Almashhrawi, Rubayat N Rahman, Ghassan M Hammoud, Jamal A Ibdah, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65212, United States
Author contributions: Ahmed KT wrote and revised the manuscript; Almashhrawi AA, Rahman RN, and Hammoud GM were involved in reviewing the literature and collecting data; and Ibdah JA conceived the topic, contributed to the writing, analyzed and edited the manuscript, and provided overall intellectual input into the design and execution of the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Jamal A Ibdah, MD, PhD, Professor, Director, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Missouri-Columbia, 319 jesse hall, Columbia, MO 65212, United States. ibdahj@health.missouri.edu
Telephone: +1-573-8827349 Fax: +1-573-8844595
Received: June 10, 2013
Revised: August 5, 2013
Accepted: September 4, 2013
Published online: November 21, 2013
Core Tip

Core tip: Pregnancy is a special clinical state with several normal physiological changes that influence body organs including the liver. Liver disease can cause significant morbidity and mortality in both pregnant women and their infants. Challenges involve making the diagnosis and the methods of treatment and their safety for both the mother and the baby. This review summarizes liver diseases that are unique to pregnancy.