Pregnancy in Vascular Liver Disease

Abstract

BCS Budd Chiari syndrome HTT Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia TIPS transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt Among patients with Budd Chiari syndrome (BCS), portal vein thrombosis and porto-sinusoidal vascular disease, women of childbearing age account for 50%, 20% and 15%, respectively [1-3]. The affected women in this age have gained a long life expectancy since anticoagulation therapy, followed in specific cases by transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), angioplasty or liver transplantation have been applied. Indeed, with an appropriate management, five-year survival rate is currently above 90% for women with BCS or portal vein thrombosis, and 85% for porto-sinusoidal vascular disease [1,2,4]. It is therefore not surprising that affected women with a well-controlled disease express a desire for pregnancy.