Open AccessLupus With Pregnancy : Beyond the Basics
Author(s) -
Sujat Paul
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
jcmcta/journal of chittagong medical college teacher's association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2224-7300
pISSN - 1609-1558
DOI - 10.3329/jcmcta.v23i1.51898
Subject(s) - pregnancy , medicine , lupus nephritis , systemic lupus erythematosus , exacerbation , lupus anticoagulant , disease , antiphospholipid syndrome , preeclampsia , obstetrics , immunology , antibody , genetics , biology
Pregnancy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus is associated with a high risk of maternal disease exacerbation and adverse fetal outcome. This review summarizes recent published findings on lupus pregnancy. Literature review: The literature has profound agreement on thefact that, for most women with inactive and stable systemic lups erythematousus, pregnancy is safe for both mother and fetus. The main risk factors for adverse pregnancy course and outcome are active disease, nephritis with proteinuria, hypertension and maternal serum antibodies to SS-A/Ro, SS-B/La, cardiolipin, 2-glycoprotein I, and lupus anticoagulant. Recent studies have broadened our understanding of the immunological mechanism underlying congenital heart block induced by anti-Ro/La antibodies. Pregnancy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus is safe and manageable provided the disease is stable. Patients should be closely followed up before pregnancy for pregestational risk factors and should get extra attention during gregnancy. The disease can be safely managed in some cases of lupus flare during pregnancy.
JCMCTA 2012; 23(1): 53-56