Perforated peptic ulcer in pregnancy with survival of mother and child: case report and review of the literature.

Peptic ulcer in pregnancy and its complications, though rare, can be life-threatening to mother and fetus. Perforated peptic ulcer in pregnancy is extremely rare; when this occurs survival of both mother and child is unusual. Only five cases of maternal survival following perforation of a peptic ulcer have previously been recorded and, of these, only three were associated with survival of both mother and infant. The authors report an additional case of perforated ulcer in pregnancy with survival of mother and infant, and review the relevant literature. Early surgical diagnosis and treatment followed by vaginal delivery of the fetus offers the best hope for survival of mother and child.