What is Hepatitis?
Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. The liver is a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters the blood, and fights infections. When the liver is inflamed or damaged, its function can be affected.
The common cause of jaundice in pregnancy is acute viral hepatitis. It could be caused by diseases distinctively associated with pregnancy and those not distinctively associated with pregnancy.
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) are important causes of maternal infections in endemic regions, and HEV can be associated with considerable maternal morbidity and mortality. Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is an incomplete virus that when co-infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) can cause disease that is more severe and can lead to fulminant hepatic necrosis.
Alcoholic hepatitis is most likely to occur in people who drink heavily over many years. Malnutrition is common in people with alcoholic hepatitis. Drinking large amounts of alcohol suppresses the appetite, and heavy drinkers get most of their calories from alcohol.
