Volume 30, Issue 175, September 2026

Diagnosis and Therapeutic Management of Acute Appendicitis During Pregnancy: A Contemporary Narrative Review

Martyna Olszyna^♦, Cezary Jasiński, Barbara Durma, Szymon Siudak, Oliwia Dudek, Daniel Glinka, Zuzanna Domagała, Maria Ryśkiewicz, Daria Kózka, Agata Choroś

Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Martyna Olszyna, Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland

ABSTRACT

Acute appendicitis (AA) remains the most common non-obstetric cause of surgery in pregnant women. Although significant advances have been made in diagnostic imaging and surgical techniques in recent years, there are no clear-cut treatment algorithms for suspected AA in pregnant women. This study aimed to analyze the current literature on the diagnosis and treatment of AA in pregnant women by summarizing publications published over the last five years. Ultrasound is the primary diagnostic test, although its diagnostic value decreases as pregnancy progresses. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used for diagnosis, as it is safer for pregnant women than computed tomography (CT). Appendectomy remains the primary treatment method, but clear scientific evidence regarding whether it should be open or laparoscopic has not yet been published. Further research is needed to develop a diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm for suspected AA in pregnant women.

Keywords: acute appendicitis, pregnancy, laparoscopic appendectomy, open appendectomy

Medical Science, 2026, 30, e190ms3956

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v30i175.e190ms3956

Published: 18 September 2026