Multidisciplinary Teamwork In The Management Of Advanced Abdominal Pregnancy- A Case Report

Abstract

Introduction: Abdominal pregnancies are rare; often being misdiagnosed or completely missed till surgery is done. This presents a challenge in the diagnosis and management of the condition, especially in a resourceconstrained setting. A high index of suspicion is
therefore required for prompt diagnosis. The objective in this report is to increase the awareness of the need for early diagnosis of abdominal pregnancy and the need for multidisciplinary planning and care for optimum management.
Case Report and Interventions: A 34-year-old gravida 4 parity 2+1, presented at 41 weeks with a two-month history of abdominal pain. Thorough examination and ultrasound revealed an advanced abdominal pregnancy. At laparotomy an abdominal pregnancy with placenta attached to the omentum was noted. A live male infant was delivered with a birthweight of 3.4 kg with an APGAR score of 4 and 6 at 1 and 5 minutes respectively. The baby had a respiratory arrest a few hours after the delivery. Attempted resuscitation in the SCBU unit was unsuccessful. Mother was discharged three days later with no post-op complications.
Conclusion: The occurrence of abdominal pregnancy seems to be a gradually increasing phenomenon. It is therefore imperative for clinicians to have a high index of suspicion to reduce maternal as well as perinatal morbidity and mortality associated with the condition.