Gastrointestinal and liver disease in pregnancy

Gastrointestinal and liver disorders of pregnancy may be present before a woman becomes pregnant, or they can be specific to pregnancy. They can be complicated by severe morbidity or mortality. Women with pre-existing disorders should have pre-pregnancy counselling. This will enable the potential risks of pregnancy for the mother and fetus to be evaluated, clinical interventions that improve outcomes to be performed, and drug regimens to be reviewed. Once pregnant, it is important to adopt a multidisciplinary approach with the input of obstetricians, midwives, anaesthetists and physicians with experience and expertise in the management of medical disorders of pregnancy.