Dia Mirza Undergoes Appendectomy During Pregnancy: More About Appendicitis And Pregnancy

What is Appendectomy? Actor Dia Mirza recently welcomed a baby boy with her husband Vaibhav Rekhi. She also revealed that her baby was delivered prematurely and is currently in neonatal intensive care (NICU) or the baby ICU.

Mirza, in a note on Instagram announcing the baby’s birth, also wrote, “A sudden appendectomy during my pregnancy and a subsequent and very severe bacterial infection could have led to sepsis and proven to be life-threatening. Thankfully, the timely care and intervention by our doctor ensured the safe birth of our baby via an emergency C-section.”

Here is a look at what is appendectomy and how it affects pregnant women.

What Is Appendix?

The appendix is a vestigial organ in human body. It is a finger-like tube, located in the lower right abdomen at the joining of the small intestine to large intestine and is considered to be about 3-4 inches long, located near the colon.

Medical practitioners are not sure of the exact function of the appendix in the human body. Many however believe that it acts as a storehouse for good bacteria. It also helps the digestive system to recover after illnesses like diarrhoea.

An infected or inflamed appendix can get perforated/ ruptured or worse burst, which can lead to the spread infection throughout the abdomen.

Appendicitis presents itself in pregnant women as a “periumbilical pain that migrates to the right lower quadrant.” Any new abdominal pain during pregnancy is a cause of concern and in the case of expecting mothers, they should always consult their OB-GYN.

What is Appendectomy?

Appendectomy is the surgical removal of the appendix. The appendix needs to be surgically removed when it becomes inflamed or infected. Surgical removal of the appendix doesn’t seem to cause any significant health problems.

Appendectomy is one of the most common abdominal operations around the globe. It is one of the most common emergency general surgical operations performed worldwide. Today, appendectomies are mostly performed by the laparoscopic technique.

What happens if you get Appendicitis during pregnancy?

Appendicitis during pregnancy is not uncommon. However, its diagnosis is challenging as its correct clinical presentation can get masked due to the obstetric condition. Physical examination of the pregnant patient may throw its only set of challenges, the enlarged uterus may be displacing the organ within the abdomen. Furthermore, laboratory indicators used for the diagnosis of Appendicitis may be unreliable when a patient is pregnant. The rupture of the appendix, reportedly, is more common in pregnant women, especially in the third trimester.

Appendicitis and Pregnancy

The incidence of preterm labour due to appendectomy are reported between four to 11 percent.

If not treated, a ruptured appendix can cause infections inside the abdomen, this is known as peritonitis. Untreated Appendicitis can also lead to preterm labour or foetal loss in extreme cases.