Bile Acids
Clinical Indications
Serum bile acids have been shown to be a sensitive test of
hepatobiliary dysfunction. They may be useful in the diagnosis of
obstetric cholestasis (OC), especially in the presence of normal
LFT's.
Incidence of OC appears to be increasing (~0.2%) and is
characterised by severe pruritis, which usually develops in the
third trimester. Associated risks include increased risk of
maternal postpartum haemorrhage (due to disruption of the
absorption of fat soluble vitamin K) and a higher rate of IUD,
especially perinatal death after 36 weeks.
Request Form
Request on ICE
Availability
On request on pregnant patients only
Specific Criteria
Investigation of suspected obstetric cholestasis; repeat samples
will be analysed after at least one week.
Turnaround Time
Same day
Specimen
Serum in gold-top vacutainer
Volume
2 ml
Container
Causes for Rejection
Unlabelled or incorrectly labelled sample; not meeting specific
criteria for analysis
Reference Range
Less than 14 umol/L