Appendicitis in pregnancy

Abstract

The clinical files of 16,443 women delivered during the period June 1994 to June 2000 at Queen Alia Military Hospital were retrospectively studied for clinical presentation, investigation, operative findings and histopathological diagnosis of appendicitis during pregnancy. The result showed that 10 of the women underwent laparotomy for probable appendicitis. Of these, 8 had positive histopathological diagnosis. Appendicitis in pregnancy occurs infrequently. The clinical presentation varies and diagnosis is usually delayed. Right-side abdominal pain is the principal basis for diagnosis, while leukocytosis and low-level fever, as in the non-pregnant state, are unreliable for diagnosis