Quick summary -acute fatty liver of pregnancy
- Acute fatty liver of pregnancy is very rare, it affects about 1 in every 10,000 pregnancies
- Acute fatty liver of pregnancy is usually diagnosed in the third trimester of pregnancy, at around 35 weeks
- Most women with acute fatty liver of pregnancy need to be admitted to intensive care
- Doctors first aim to stabilise you and will then make a plan to deliver your baby safely
- Most women have a caesarean section (c-section)
- Once you’ve had your baby, your liver will usually start to recover
- Most women and babies make a full recovery, but sadly some still die
More information about acute fatty liver of pregnancy
What is acute fatty liver of pregnancy?
- How many people get acute fatty liver of pregnancy?
- What happens in acute fatty liver of pregnancy?
Symptoms and diagnosis for acute fatty liver of pregnancy
- Symptoms of acute fatty liver of pregnancy
- Tests for acute fatty liver of pregnancy
How is acute fatty liver of pregnancy treated?
- Having your baby
- Plasma exchange
- Medicines to treat liver damage
- Liver transplant
How might acute fatty liver of pregnancy affect mother and baby?
- What are the complications for the mother?
- What are the complications for the pregnancy?
- What are the complications for the baby?
- Does acute fatty liver of pregnancy have lasting effects?
- Can I get pregnant again?
- Mental health and trauma support for you
About this information
Everyone’s experience of acute fatty liver of pregnancy will be different. Always talk to your specialist medical team for personal advice.
Our information aims to be clear, up-to-date, and useful. We work with people living with liver disease and clinicians to make our information.
The main sources for this information are:
- EASL clinical practice guidelines on the management of liver diseases in pregnancy 2023
- Acute fatty liver in pregnancy presenting in the second trimester: A systematic literature review, Bourque and Mahone, 2025
If you would like to give feedback please use the forms on the pages linked above, or email us. You can also email us for a full list of references patient-info@britishlivertrust.org.uk.
Special thanks:
We would like to thank all the patients and families who helped to create this information.
Thank you to our clinical reviewer:
- Professor John Dillon, Professor of hepatology and gastroenterology, School of medicine, University of Dundee
Publication date: December 2025
Next review: December 2028
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