MASLD in Pregnant Women Increases the Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) in pregnant women is known to be associated with hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and gestational diabetes . However, its association with other adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm birth and cesarean section, remains unclear. To address this, a study investigated the relationship in 162 women (240 births) with MASLD compared to 1,138 matched controls (1,140 births). The study found that MASLD was associated with a 16.7% rate of preterm births , compared to 4.7% in the control group (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 3.41).

This association remained significant even when compared to overweight or obese women without known MASLD. Notably, the risk of preterm birth did not increase with the severity of MASLD. Additionally, MASLD was linked to an increased risk of cesarean section (aOR: 1.63). These findings suggest that MASLD in…