Conclusions
SBO in pregnancy is most commonly due to adhesions
from previous abdominal surgery, and carries significant
risks to both mother and fetus. Cases should be managed
on an individual basis with a multidisciplinary team
approach. We recommend that all patients with clinical
suspicion of SBO in pregnancy should have urgent MRI to
diagnose and determine the aetiology of the SBO. In cases
of adhesional obstruction, patients may be managed conservatively
initially, with a low threshold for laparotomy. In
other cases, such as small bowel volvulus or internal hernia,
there is no role for conservative treatment and prompt
laparotomy following resuscitation is recommended.