What causes elevated total bile acids in pregnant women?

Elevated total bile acid levels in pregnant women may be caused by long-term unhealthy dietary and lifestyle habits, intrahepatic cholestasis, or liver-related diseases.

1. Long-term unhealthy dietary and lifestyle habits

After becoming pregnant, frequently consuming high-fat and high-cholesterol foods—such as eggs and fatty meats—combined with chronic sleep deprivation and excessive mental stress, can impair the liver's detoxification function, leading to elevated total bile acid levels in pregnant women.

2. Intrahepatic cholestasis

During pregnancy, abnormal estrogen levels or low immunity may easily lead to intrahepatic cholestasis. Due to impaired bile drainage, some bile may enter the bloodstream, resulting in elevated total bile acid levels in pregnant women.

3. Liver-related diseases

If a pregnant woman has underlying liver conditions such as hepatitis, bile duct obstruction due to gallstones, or liver damage, large amounts of bile acids cannot be properly metabolized by the liver and may enter the bloodstream and other systems such as the urinary system, potentially causing elevated total bile acid levels.