Appendicitis is a condition that is characterized by the inflammation of a tiny pouch at the beginning of the large intestine, known as appendix. Appendicitis pregnancy is common as per the statistical reports. Around one in 2000 pregnant women is reported to suffer from appendicitis during pregnancy. Most likely, the problem occurs during the second trimester. However, there is a significant risk during the other two trimesters.

The risk of the problem going undetected is high during pregnancy as the symptoms usually resemble to those of normal pregnancy. Symptoms such as nausea, abdominal pain and anorexia are common to a pregnant woman and a person suffering from acute appendicitis.

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The delay in diagnosing the disorder and managing the same may result in rupturing of the appendix followed by the fetal death. However, there are chances of premature delivery, in case appendicitis disorder is detected during the third trimester.

Causes of Appendicitis:

The cause for the disorder may be the same for a normal person as well as a pregnant woman. The development of appendicitis in a pregnant woman or a non-pregnant woman is the same. The probable causes for the disease may be as follows:

• Obstruction – The disease may occur, if the appendix gets blocked due to hard stool particles or any foreign substance that blocks the opening cavity of the appendix. A cancerous cell may also contribute to the blockage.
• Infection – An infection may cause inflammation of the cells and tissues in the body. Any infection in the appendix region may result in the swelling and inflammation in the appendix and result in the blockage.

Symptoms of Appendicitis during Pregnancy:

The symptoms of appendicitis in a non-pregnant woman are almost same as in a pregnant woman during the first or early second trimester. However, in the third trimester, a pregnant woman may not feel the right quadrant pain due to the displacement of the appendix following a bulged uterus. Following are some of the common symptoms of appendicitis in a pregnant or a non-pregnant woman:

• A pain in the naval region that gradually shifts to the lower abdomen
• Tenderness of the lower right abdomen, especially while exerting a little pressure on the region. The tenderness may accompany sharp pain in the lower abdomen.
• Swelling of the abdomen, especially to the lower right side
• Persistent high fever that is between 99⁰ F to 102⁰ F
• Usually, a pregnant woman may complain about vomiting preceding upper or lower abdominal pain.
• Frequent cramping in the abdomen or the back
• Constipation complaint accompanied with gastrointestinal disorders
• Difficulty while urinating

Diagnosis of Appendicitis during Pregnancy:

Diagnosing appendicitis during pregnancy is a little difficult as many of the symptoms related to the disorder are attributing to pregnancy. Some of the common symptoms of appendicitis and pregnancy such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and tenderness of the abdomen are misleading and may be neglected as a sign of normal pregnancy.

Although, appendicitis may occur at any stage during pregnancy, but the severity of the problem and the criticality of the symptoms may develop during the second trimester. However, ultrasound may be helpful to diagnose the condition during the routine checkup of a pregnant woman.

Blood tests may depict the increase in the number of white blood cells, which however, may be considered again as a symptom of normal pregnancy. Diagnosis is still easier in the first or second trimester as the symptoms atleast match the symptoms of appendicitis in a non-pregnant woman, but the diagnosis during the third trimester is very difficult as the uterus grows bigger and the appendix is shifted from its position towards the right kidney.

Symptoms of appendicitis in a pregnant woman during the third trimester are pain in the lower right abdomen or in the back. This is a misleading symptom as it may be suspected as kidney infection and the actual appendicitis disease may be neglected for a long time causing danger to the fetal health. Hence, an immediate scanning test for a pregnant woman with the above complaint is vital to diagnose this problem.

Appendicitis pregnancy or appendicitis disorder during pregnancy is a major problem as it is difficult to diagnose and a late diagnosis may risk the life of the baby, or result in premature delivery, and rarely the pregnant mother may die. However, during ultrasound test, the problem may be detected, and as soon as the disorder is confirmed, it is recommended to operate the blockage and remove the appendicitis.

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