Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and acute fatty liver of pregnancy. An unusual but favorable association?

During the 26th week of a first pregnancy, a 25-year-old woman presented with pruritus suggesting an intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. The pruritus, however, persisted despite the premature delivery of a normal newborn at the 35th week. Moreover, aspartate aminotransferase activity increased, reaching a maximum of 38 times normal level on the 17th day after the delivery. Thus, an acute fatty liver of pregnancy was suspected and confirmed by liver biopsy. This patient appeared to have both intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy and acute fatty liver of pregnancy, an association not previously reported. It is suggested that intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy caused premature delivery, which in turn may have prevented the onset of severe maternal and fetal complications caused by acute fatty liver of pregnancy.