Blood work may not be as useful for diagnosing gallstones during pregnancy due to normal pregnancy changes. Instead, ultrasound is used to detect many cases of gallstones during pregnancy.
Testing and correct diagnosis are especially important because abdominal pain during pregnancy could also be a sign of a less worrisome condition like round ligament pain or something more serious, such as a ruptured ectopic pregnancy or appendicitis.
Untreated gallstones can lead to infection or cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder), which can lead to a ruptured gallbladder. Treatment of cholecystitis often involves the removal of the gallbladder.
When To Call the Doctor
If you experience severe abdominal pain during pregnancy, talk to your a health care provider. Call your doctor immediately if you have pain so intense you can't sit or lie down comfortably, or if you're experiencing a fever with chills or yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice), as these can be signs of a serious infection.
How to Treat Gallstones During Pregnancy
While it's more common to manage gallstones in pregnancy with medicine, gallstones are the second-most common cause of surgery during pregnancy that isn’t pregnancy-related. About 1 in 1,600 pregnant people will have their gallbladder taken out due to gallstones in pregnancy.
Based on your symptoms and test results, your doctor may recommend that you have surgery to remove the gallstones or wait it out. Some doctors prefer to go ahead and operate because of the increased risk of a relapse, which can be worse. If you choose to wait it out, you may also be given medications for the pain. It is also often helpful to alter your diet.
Common Diet Changes for Gallstones
If you are diagnosed with gallstones during pregnancy, your health care provider may recommend making changes in diet, including:
- Increase fiber: Eat plenty of fiber-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
- Reduce saturated fat: Reduce intake of saturated fats, such as those found in animal products (like meat and whole milk), and focus on getting more omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats.
- Reduce sugar and refined carbs: Limit intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates (like white bread and pasta).
First trimester gallstones treatment
Surgery is generally not recommended in the first trimester except in extreme cases. During the first trimester, there is a greater risk of congenital disorders from exposing your baby to the medications needed to perform surgery. If possible, surgery will be delayed until you have moved into the second trimester or until after you give birth.
Surgery had been thought to increase the risk of miscarriage, but new research indicates surgery for gallstone disease during pregnancy does not increase fetal or maternal mortality.
Second trimester gallstones treatment
Surgery is typically safest in the second trimester. It is also the easiest time to do the procedure with laparoscopy as opposed to an open incision, which is more complicated and requires a longer healing time.
Third trimester gallstones treatment
If you're in your third trimester, it's possible your doctor will encourage you to try to wait it out rather than have surgery because your growing uterus makes it more difficult to perform surgery using the laparoscopic technique. It is also more likely that you could experience preterm labor in the third trimester. Your doctor may also recommend that you have your gallbladder removed after delivery.
Tip
It's common to experience abdominal pain during pregnancy, and it could have many different causes. It's important to always discuss any pain and discomfort you're feeling with your provider, especially if it's accompanied by other symptoms that could be a sign of something more serious, such as gallstones.