Re: Endoscopy in pregnancy

[Guest guest]

I had an endoscopy at the urging of my doctors early in my last

pregnancy. I was in the first trimester but was extremely ill and

they were worried about esophageal varacies. I often wonder if

having the endoscopy is the reason I lost the 3rd baby. I had the

procedure around 10 weeks and baby C at 11 weeks was growing slower

than the other two and then at 14 weeks he had no heartbeat.

I'll never know, but I wish I hadn't gone through with it.

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> doi:10.1016/j.bpg.2007.05.007

> Copyright © 2007 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.

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> Endoscopy in pregnancy

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> Seamus O'Mahony MD FRCP, a, b, , Consultant Physiciana Senior

Lecturer in Gastroenterologyb

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> Endoscopy is rarely required during pregnancy. The potential risks

of endoscopy during pregnancy include foetal hypoxia due to sedative

drugs and exposure to radiation. There is no evidence that endoscopy

precipitates premature labour, and studies in this area have

concluded that endoscopy during pregnancy is generally safe. There

should be a strong indication for the procedure, which should be

deferred whenever possible to the second trimester. Procedures

should be performed without any sedation, or with the lowest dose of

sedative medication. Radiation exposure should be kept to a minimum.

Support should be obtained from specialists in obstetrics and

anaesthesia. Indications for endoscopy during pregnancy are as

follows: (1) gastroscopy: upper gastrointestinal bleeding,

dysphagia, uncontrolled nausea/vomiting; (2)

sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy: rectal bleeding, diarrhoea; and (3) ERCP:

choledocholithiasis, biliary pancreatitis. Sedative drugs, such as

midazolam appear to be safe if used carefully. Radiation exposure

during ERCP can be kept well below the danger level for

teratogenicity.

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> Key words: endoscopy; pregnancy

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> Consultant Physician, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.

Tel.: +353 21 492 2378; Fax: +353 21 434 6494.

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> Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology

> Volume 21, Issue 5, October 2007, Pages 893-899

> Pregnancy-Related Gastrointestinal & Hepatological Diseases

and Complications

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