Biochemical Monitoring and Management During Pregnancy in Patients with Isovaleric Acidaemia is Helpful to Prevent Metabolic Decompensation.

The facilities for neonatal screening, early diagnosis, and effective treatment of isovaleric acidaemia (IVA) have improved greatly over the past decades. Accordingly, IVA patients reach adolescence and may consider having children. The maintenance of a stable metabolic condition is a challenge to both the patients and their multidisciplinary team of care providers. This report presents three women with IVA during their five single or twin pregnancies, whose clinical condition were monitored with contrasting approaches. Metabolic profiles were determined and compared in these pregnancies. In one case, two pregnancies were strictly managed and monitored by measuring plasma acylcarnitine and amino acid profiles, together with adjustment of the diet and/or supplementation of L-carnitine and/or glycine. In addition, complications were prevented by intravenous glucose and L-carnitine during labor and postpartum. In two other cases, the metabolic condition of patients was less frequently monitored and additional treatment with intravenous L-carnitine and intravenous glucose/dextrose was only prescribed during periods of hyperemesis gravidarum. With respect to the differences in management and monitoring of maternal IVA all pregnancies were without complications for mother and child. Despite the favorable outcome in uncontrolled pregnancies in IVA, careful monitoring and management during pregnancy is helpful to prevent life-threatening conditions like metabolic decompensation.