rare and Life-Threatening: Woman Carries Pregnancy in Liver, Challenging Medical Understanding
Bulandshahr, India – In an exceptionally rare medical case, a woman in Bulandshahr, india, was recently diagnosed with a pregnancy implanted not in the uterus, but within her liver. The case, highlighting the dangers of ectopic pregnancies, underscores the critical role of early detection and specialized medical intervention.
Ectopic pregnancies occur when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus. While most (97%) lodge in the fallopian tubes, exceedingly rare instances involve implantation in the abdominal cavity - and even more rarely, within the liver itself.
“Instead of following the normal path to the uterus, the embryo can be drawn into the brewing of peritoneal fluid and find itself in the belly. The liver, very vascularized, then becomes a suitable site for the implantation,” explains Dr. Jonas Benguigui, a gynecologist-obstetrician.The liver’s rich blood supply allows the developing embryo to utilize its vessels for growth, with the outer layer of the egg, known as the trophoblast, extending villi into the organ.
This phenomenon was previously documented in a 2017 article, noting the liver’s favorable surroundings for egg advancement due to its extensive vascularization.
However, diagnosis of such pregnancies varies geographically.Dr. Benguigui notes that France’s early detection methods – Beta-HCG dosages and early ultrasounds – often allow for medical treatment with methotrexate. In contrast, in regions with less consistent follow-up, like India in this case, atypical pregnancies can progress until they become symptomatic, as experienced by the patient in Bulandshahr who sought medical attention due to unbearable abdominal pain.
Crucially, a pregnancy implanted in the liver is not viable and poses a severe threat to the mother’s life. After 14 weeks, the risk of internal hemorrhaging, organ rupture, and even maternal death dramatically increases. “It is extremely dangerous, because the liver is a very vascularized organ. In the event of a break, the patient can empty her blood in a few minutes,” warns Dr. Benguigui.
Treatment necessitates surgical intervention, typically involving partial removal of the liver where the embryo has implanted. This complex procedure requires a specialized medical center.
While incredibly rare,this isn’t the first documented intrahepatic pregnancy. Isolated cases have been reported globally, including in China in 2017, France in 1999, and approximately twenty others over the past fifty years, with most occurring during the first trimester. The Bulandshahr case adds to this small but meaningful collection of medical anomalies.
