Does the Appendix Location Change During Pregnancy?

Background: Early diagnosis of appendicitis is important during pregnancy.  Unlike omentom, cecum and appendix are not likely to be displaced by the growing uterus, so the concept of position change of the appendix during pregnancy is questionable. Objective: To determine the anatomical location of appendix during pregnancy. Methods: In a prospective study from October 1995 to March 1999, 291 women of reproductive age were evaluated for the location of appendix.  They were divided into 3 groups, A: 165 pregnant women (37-40 weeks of gestation) who underwent elective cesarean section, B: 26 pregnant women (19-39 weeks of gestation) with acute appendicitis, who underwent appendectomy, and C: 100 non-pregnant women with acute appendicitis who underwent appendectomy serving as the comparison group.  The location of appendix was considered as normal if it fell within ± 2 cm variation from McBurney’s point, otherwise, it was considered as a position change. Results:  In group A, 26 out of 165 (15%) and in group B, 6 out of 26 (23%) women had change in the position of appendix.  In the control group, 17% had change in position.  There were no significant differences between group A and B as compared with the control group (group C).  In group B, there was no relation between the height of the fundus and the point of tenderness. Conclusion: The location of appendix does not change significantly during the pregnancy in most women.