Location of appendix in pregnancy: does it change?

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the change in anatomical location of appendix in full-term pregnancy.

Study design: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study.

Place and duration of study: Liaquat National University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, Department of General Surgery, January 01 to July 31, 2010.

Patients and methods: Full-term pregnant women undergoing caesarean section were enrolled. The anatomical position of the appendix was noted by visual inspection with reference to the transtubercular plane (TTP). SPSS-10 was used for analysis.

Results: Seventy-seven full-term pregnant female patients who underwent caesarean section were included in the study. Their mean age was 29 years, the mean height was 5.3 feet, and mean gestational age was 38 weeks. Appendix was found at the normal anatomical location in 63 out of 77 patients (81.8%), while it was located above the TTP in 14 patients (18.2%).

Conclusion: Appendix does not migrate up with increasing gestational age in the majority of pregnant women. In most full-term pregnant female patients, appendix is located at the normal anatomical position.