Li J, Zhang QY, Zhang MH, Jiang SY. Maternal and fetal death associated with acute pancreatitis during pregnancy: A case report. World J Clin Cases 2025; 13(10): 102011 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i10.102011]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Shan-Yun Jiang, MD, Center for Clinical Inspection and Quarantine, Kaihua County Center for Clinical Inspection and Quarantine, No. 59 Fenghuang Middle Road, Kaihua County, Quzhou 324300, Zhejiang Province, China. 303711388@qq.com
Research Domain of This Article
Anesthesiology
Article-Type of This Article
Case Report
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Maternal and fetal death associated with acute pancreatitis during pregnancy: A case report
Jin Li, Qing-Yan Zhang, Mei-Hong Zhang, Shan-Yun Jiang
Jin Li, Qing-Yan Zhang, Mei-Hong Zhang, Department of Anesthesiology, Kaihua County People’s Hospital, Quzhou 324300, Zhejiang Province, China
Shan-Yun Jiang, Center for Clinical Inspection and Quarantine, Kaihua County Center for Clinical Inspection and Quarantine, Quzhou 324300, Zhejiang Province, China
Author contributions: Zhang YQ and Zhang HM conducted the study; Li J prepared the original draft; Jiang SY conducted the review and editing. All authors reviewed and approved the final paper.
Informed consent statement: Informed written consent was obtained from the legal guardian of the participant prior to her enrollment in the study.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Shan-Yun Jiang, MD, Center for Clinical Inspection and Quarantine, Kaihua County Center for Clinical Inspection and Quarantine, No. 59 Fenghuang Middle Road, Kaihua County, Quzhou 324300, Zhejiang Province, China. 303711388@qq.com
Received: October 5, 2024 Revised: November 10, 2024 Accepted: December 3, 2024 Published online: April 6, 2025 Processing time: 74 Days and 18.9 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Acute pancreatitis in pregnancy is a rare but serious condition that can lead to high maternal mortality and fetal loss. Instances of pregnancy complicated by severe acute pancreatitis, particularly with subsequent respiratory and cardiac arrest, are rarely reported.
CASE SUMMARY
We present the case of a 35-year-old woman, at 36 + 5 weeks of gestation, who presented with paroxysmal epigastric pain accompanied by low back pain, nausea, and vomiting. According to the clinical symptoms, B-ultrasound imaging and biochemical indicators, the patient was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and initially managed conservatively. However, 3 hours after admission, the patient experienced respiratory and cardiac arrest, and the fetus died. In this case, the adverse outcomes occurred due to the lack of aggressive fluid resuscitation and an active surgical intervention.
CONCLUSION
Implementing aggressive fluid resuscitation to sustain tissue perfusion, alongside the proactive evaluation of pharmacological agents that suppress gastric acid secretion and inhibit pancreatic enzyme activity, may be beneficial in mitigating the risk of a severely adverse prognosis. Effective management of acute pancreatitis during pregnancy requires careful timing of surgical intervention, a thorough evaluation of the risks and benefits regarding the continuation or termination of pregnancy, and a focus on safeguarding both maternal and fetal health.
Core Tip: Acute pancreatitis during pregnancy is an infrequent occurrence that can be linked to significant maternal and fetal mortality. The incidence of pregnancy complicated by severe acute pancreatitis accompanied by respiratory and cardiac arrest is particularly rare. This case report aims to examine the complex decision-making process involved in evaluating surgical interventions and determining the continuation or termination of pregnancy, with an emphasis on safeguarding the health of both the mother and fetus. Proactive and intensive management is crucial to prevent potentially catastrophic outcomes.
