New research published in the journal eClinical Medicine indicates that pregnant women with Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) are at an increased risk of preterm birth.
MASLD, previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, affects approximately 30% of the global population. Risk factors include type 2 diabetes, overweight, and obesity. The prevalence of MASLD continues to rise, impacting women of childbearing age as well.
A recent study used data from Sweden’s disease registry to examine the relationship between MASLD in pregnant women and birth outcomes. The team compared 240 births from women with MASLD to 1,140 births from healthy women. Their findings revealed that women with MASLD had a three times higher risk of preterm birth.
Interestingly, the researchers noted that while the severity of MASLD did not affect the increased risk of preterm birth, women with MASLD still faced a higher risk compared to overweight or obese women without a history of MASLD.
This suggests that the increased risk of preterm birth associated with MASLD cannot be explained solely by a high body mass index (BMI). Instead, the liver disease itself may negatively impact pregnancy outcomes.
To reduce the risk of complications, the team stressed the importance of closely monitoring pregnant women with MASLD. Additionally, they demanded that specific clinical guidelines be created for expectant mothers who have a history of MASLD.
Furthermore, compared to healthy controls, women with MASLD had a 63% increased risk of cesarean delivery. Nonetheless, this risk was comparable to that of obese or overweight women without liver disease, indicating that the elevated risk of cesarean delivery in MASLD women could be related to their elevated body mass index.
The study also discovered that although MASLD raised the chance of preterm birth, it had no association with an increased risk of stillbirth or congenital disabilities.
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