Pregnancy and penicillamine treatment in a patient with Wilson's disease.

A 22-year-old female with Wilson's disease became pregnant and subsequently delivered a normal infant. At the age of 17 the patient presented evidence of liver cirrhosis and was diagnosed as having Wilson's disease. A regimen of d-penicillamine was started at this time and continued, although irregularly for the 10 months prior to her 9th week of pregnancy. At the 14th week of pregnancy she was started on 500 mg of D-penicillamine a day. She was stable during the remainder of her pregnancy and after delivery. Fetal development was normal and a normal infant was delivered at 35 weeks. It is suggested that pregnancy is not contraindicated in well treated Wilson's disease, and that a regimen of D-penicillamine during pregnancy can control the illness without harming the fetus.