Presentation
A young pregnant woman presents complaining of fever and abdominal pain.
Patient Data
A large spherical heterogeneously hypoechoic lesion seen in the posterosuperior segment of the liver. Also, note the decreased echogenicity of the liver with edematous gall bladder suggestive of hepatitis. The patient had a spontaneous first-rimester miscarriage, and retained products of conception can be seen in the uterine cavity.
Case Discussion
Amoebic liver abscess is not so common in females 1, with male-to-female ratio ranging from 2:1 to 9:1 for liver disease in various studies 2. However, pregnant women are more prone to develop liver abscesses than non-pregnant women 3. Amoebic liver abscesses in pregnancy pose several medical challenges. Unfortunately, the present patient suffered a spontaneous miscarriage within 4 days of the diagnosis.
Medical literature is sparse about the association between miscarriage and liver abscess. Fever per se may pose a risk to early pregnancy 4. Abortion in the present case can be attributed to fever, infection, medication, or other confounding factors.
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