Patient's question:
I only got pregnant after being married for several years, and now I am already six months pregnant. At first, it was morning sickness with vomiting, but it has improved a lot. However, I now find myself still feeling nauseous and vomiting, with no appetite and a pain in my upper abdomen. After a checkup, they said it was hepatitis.Doctor's answer:
Pregnancy and hepatitis are mutually adverse factors. Hepatitis can affect the normal development of pregnancy and lead to adverse consequences for both the mother and child, such as a significantly increased incidence of conditions like preeclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage, fetal distress, restricted fetal growth and development, preterm birth, stillbirth, and fetal death [2]. On the other hand, pregnancy can also affect hepatitis. During pregnancy, metabolism is highly active, and the respiratory and excretory functions of the fetus rely entirely on the mother's body. The liver is the primary site for the metabolism and inactivation of sex hormones, and the secretion of estrogen and progesterone by the placenta increases greatly during pregnancy. Pregnant women require 20% more calories than non-pregnant women, along with significantly increased demands for iron, calcium, various vitamins, and proteins. If the pregnant woman has pre-existing malnutrition, liver function may decline, exacerbating the condition.