Acute intermittent porphyria in pregnancy: a case report and review of literature.

The porphyrias are a group of rare metabolic disorders, each arising from a predominantly hereditary catalytic dysfunction of one of the eight enzymes in the porphyrin-haem biosynthetic pathway. Acute intermittent porphyria is the commonest type of porphyria worldwide. The disease is more common in women than men. It is therefore important for the obstetricians to know about this entity as many women present with abdominal pain during pregnancy. This case shows that if acute intermittent porphyria is properly treated in a mother there is normal maternal and foetal outcome. A case of acute intermittent porphyria known before pregnancy has been reported in a patient who had three spontaneous abortions in the past, she was delivered by elective caesarean section. The pathogenesis of the disease, its' symptoms, diagnosis, therapeutic approach both during and out of pregnancy have been also discussed.