Acute fatty liver of pregnancy, or AFLP, is a pregnancy complication which occurs in conjunction with preeclampsia 50 percent of the time, according to Dr. Britt Drake of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. It is also seen as a separate disease. AFLP usually occurs in the third trimester of pregnancy. Symptoms of acute fatty liver are similar to those of acute viral hepatitis and can lead to maternal or fetal death. Women who recover from the disease generally have no long-term effects, according to the Merck Manual.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Abdominal pain in acute fatty liver is centered in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, around the liver, and is caused by the stretching of the liver capsule. Pain can be severe. Nausea and vomiting often accompany acute fatty liver. Loss of appetite is common. Gastrointestinal bleeding occurs in 30 to 40 percent of cases, Drake reports. Pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas, is also seen in 30 percent of cases and can also cause abdominal pain. Acute liver failure can occur as a result of AFLP and can lead to maternal or fetal death.
Jaundice
The decreased functioning of the liver due to fat accumulation causes jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes. Jaundice is the result of bilirubin accumulation in the tissues. Jaundice occurs late in the disease, but once it appears, the condition progresses rapidly.
Bleeding Disorders
A drop in platelets, or thrombocytopenia, is common in AFLP and leads to increased bleeding or easy bruising. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) occurs in more than 50 percent of cases of AFLP, according to Drake. DIC is a clotting disorder that can lead to severe hemorrhage and fetal and maternal death.
Other Symptoms
Headache, confusion, lethargy, fatigue and frequent urination are also symptoms of AFLP. Kidney dysfunction accompanies 70 percent of AFLP cases, Dr. Drake states, and can lead to acute renal failure.
