[Intrahepatic cholestasis in pregnancy].

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a syndrome usually manifesting during the third trimester of pregnancy and disappearing after delivery. Multiple factors seem to be involved in pathogenesis of the syndrome; however, ICP appears to take place in women congenitally hypersensitive to estrogens. Typical is pruritus, which may be followed by jaundice and associated with other less common symptoms. The biochemical parameters are characteristically altered: an increase in the levels of aminotransferases (AST, ALT), total bile acids and alkaline phosphatase is observed; while serum GGT are normal. Maternal prognosis is benign. By contrast, a higher risk of acute fetal distress and prematurity has been reported. Various drugs are used in the treatment of ICP. We present the case of a patient treated with S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SaMe). SaMe therapy has proved to be effective in improving the altered biochemical parameters, whose normalization was obtained before delivery.