Re: ERCP during pregnancy

[Endoscopy in pregnancy]

Assessing the need of endoscopy and performing the examination is a difficult task which requires an experienced investigator. Though it is prudent to postpone the investigation to the third trimester or rather to the postpartum period; in certain clinical situations like upper gastrointestinal bleeding or biliary pancreatitis it is not possible; endoscopic intervention has to be performed in these cases just like in non-pregnant patients. There is a paucity of data in medical literature to rely on and the retrospective nature of these data makes it even more problematic. There is not more than one such a case per year per endoscopist in Hungary which requires decision in these situations; we have to think of the factors endangering the fetus but we have to keep in mind the factors that ensure the well-being of the mother by all means.