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Gestational alloimmune liver disease treated with intravenous immunoglobulin resulting in maternal drug-induced liver injury

  • Tess E.K. Cersonsky
  • , Daniel L. Kuhr
  • , Tatyana Kushner
  • , Jill Berkin

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Gestational alloimmune liver disease (GALD) is a rare pregnancy complication involving maternal antibody-mediated fetal liver injury that recurs in 90% of affected pregnancies. The fetal and neonatal mortality rate is high, up to 82%, and affected fetuses can develop fetal hydrops, growth restriction, and oligohydramnios. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) administration can prevent GALD recurrence. We present a patient whose three live births were impacted by GALD. Her first pregnancy was an elective termination. Her second pregnancy resulted in neonatal demise due to autopsy-proven GALD. Her third pregnancy was complicated by liver injury secondary to biopsy-proven drug-induced liver injury (DILI) after IVIG administration and resulted in precipitous preterm twin delivery. In her fourth pregnancy, she received IVIG and high-dose steroids and did not develop DILI; the infant, delivered preterm due to GALD, died due to complications of prematurity. GALD is a highly recurrent condition that results in significant neonatal mortality. In this rare case of DILI due to IVIG administration, high-dose steroids treated DILI recurrence and prevented acute liver injury and may be beneficial to patients who are unable to tolerate IVIG due to liver injury.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere265479
JournalBMJ Case Reports
Volume18
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 16 Jun 2025
Externally publishedYes

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