The healthy transplanted liver is not affected by pregnancy. In fact, some women notice an early return to a regular menstrual cycle soon after transplantation. Sometime the continuing absence of periods means the woman has become pregnant. Early advice on contraception is necessary. Oral contraceptive drugs can affect the immunosuppressive drugs used to control rejection of the liver.
Most doctors recommend delaying pregnancy until more than one year after transplantation.
As many of the anti-rejection drugs can have an impact on the pregnancy, all women who have received a liver transplant before completing their family should seek expert advice before embarking on a pregnancy. Blood levels of cyclosporin should be monitored frequently. In addition, these women are more likely to deliver prematurely. Shared management is essential between hepatologist and perinatologist. After acute appendicitis, gallbladder problems are the most common nonobstetric condition requiring surgery during pregnancy.