Effect of Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy on Neonatal Birth Weight: A Meta-Analysis

Objective: To evaluate the effect of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) on neonatal birth weight.
Methods: Potential articles were identified by searching PubMed and Web of Science databases on April 30th, 2017. Using the Mantel-Haenszel random-effects or fixed-effects model, outcomes were summarized through weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Potential publication bias was tested using a funnel plot and the methods of Egger’s regression and Begg’s test.
Results: A total of eight studies were included in our meta-analysis. Six studies reported data on neonatal birth weight in ICP and control pregnancies. Pooled data from the six studies showed that the birth weight in the ICP group was significantly lighter than in the control group. The overall pooled WMD was -175 g (95% CI: -301, -48). Meanwhile, pooled data from the other two studies indicated that the birth weight in the late-onset ICP group was heavier than in the early-onset ICP group (WMD: 267 g, 95% CI: 168, 366).
Conclusion: Neonatal birth weights in ICP pregnancies were lower than in normal pregnancies. Furthermore, early-onset ICP is associated with a lower birth weight than late-onset ICP.