Gallbladder Removal Operation During Pregnancy Leads to Maternal Health Problems

PHILADELPHIA – In a recent study, it has been established that women who undergo their gallbladder removal operation during pregnancy experience many maternal health problems. The study stressed that in comparison to women who choose to delay their operation until after childbirth, they have high chances for the longer hospital says, increased 30-day readmissions, and the higher rates of preterm delivery. In these findings, it was established that women with symptomatic gallstones in pregnancy should wait as long as possible to let the baby mature before going for cholecystectomy.

During the study, the researchers carried took the database of women in California who underwent a laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy between 2005 and 2014 for gallstones. With the use of this available database, they compared 403 pregnant women who underwent the operation within 90 days before the childbirth with 17,490 women who had the treatment three months after the childbirth. For those women, who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, had to stay in the hospital for more number of days. Also, eclampsia, hemorrhage for the mother and preterm delivery were significantly worse when cholecystectomy was performed during pregnancy in comparison to after the childbirth.

“The real significant finding is that babies were being born preterm when they weren’t adequately developed. And we know that preterm delivery is associated with neonatal mortality and multiple adverse outcomes for the baby,” Dr. Pitt said. “So that is the real reason to wait: to make sure the outcome for the baby is the best possible outcome.”