The hidden dangers of chronic pancreatitis in pregnancy: Evidence from a large-scale population study

Background: Chronic pancreatitis is a debilitating condition that can affect women of childbearing age, and its impact on maternal and perinatal outcomes is poorly understood.Aims: Our findings aim to help healthcare providers counsel pregnant women with chronic pancreatitis and make informed clinical decisions.Methods: In this study, hospital discharge records from the National Inpatient Sample database between 2009 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed to investigate maternal primary outcomes and primary perinatal outcomes.Results: The study findings suggest an association between chronic pancreatitis and elevated rates of gestational diabetes (AOR 1.63, 95% CI 1.19-2.23) and gestational hypertensive complications(AOR 2.48, 95% CI 1.87-3.29). Pregnancies among women with chronic pancreatitis showed an increased likelihood of preterm labor (AOR 3.10, 95% CI 2.40-4.00) and small for gestational age (AOR 2.40, 95% CI 1.35-3.08). Furthermore, it appears that patients with alcohol-induced chronic pancreatitis present a considerably higher risk of fetal death (OR 17.15, 95% CI 2.29-128.26). The study also revealed that those chronic pancreatitis patients with a history of chronic renal failure could be more prone to developing gestational hypertensive complications (OR 20.09, 95%CI 2.07-194.93). Moreover, associations were observed between chronic pancreatitis pregnancies and lengthier hospital stays as well as elevated hospital costs.Conclusions: Our research has uncovered a heightened risk of complications associated with chronic pancreatitis for mothers and fetuses. The implications of our findings are critical for healthcare professionals, particularly those involved in preconception counseling.(c) 2023 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.