ABSTRACT
To evaluate the incidence of appendicitis in various stage of pregnancy along with it symptomatology, physical signs, laboratory results, operative findings and rates of complications especially maternal morbidity and mortality. Setting: Liaquat Medical College, Hospital Hyderabad Sindh. Subject All patients who were admitted to Liaquat Medical College Hospital Hyderabad from January 1993 to March 1998. Total number of patients were twenty six. Incidence during pregnancy was 1 per 550 deliveries. Acute appendicitis was common in 18 to 23 years age group. It was seen commonly in women during their third or fourth pregnancy [16 cases [61%]. All patients had abdominal pain and location of pain was the right lower quadrant in 16 cases [61%]. Urine analysis, haematology and ultrasound were not helpful in diagnosis. All 26 patients underwent surgery within 24 hours after admission Acute appendicitis was found in 25 cases [96%]. One appendix was normal [4%]. Four patients developed post operative wound infection [15%] E.Coli and klebsiella were grown from the wound. Two patients were diabetic. There was one foetal loss in the first trimester, the patient had perforated appendix, but no maternal loss. The average hospital stay was 9.2 days. Early presentation of a patient, with an aggressive approach in the diagnosis and surgical management reduces the maternal and foetal morbrbidity and mortality