Pemphigus and pregnancy: A 23-year experience

Background: Studies on the interaction of pemphigus and pregnancy are limited to case reports and small case series. Pregnancy is not rare in Iranian pemphigus patients due to lower age at onset of the disease. Aim: We sought to investigate the outcome of pregnancy and the course of pemphigus in pemphigus patients in a retrospective study. Methods: The files of 779 pemphigus women younger than 50 presenting to our center from 1984 till 2006 were examined for any mention of pregnancy. Data related to outcome of pregnancy and the course of the disease were collected. Results: Sixty-six patients with a history of pregnancy were identified. Forty-eight known pemphigus patients experienced one or more pregnancies during their disease (total pregnancy number: 52). The course of pemphigus was as follows in this group: 28 cases (54%) of exacerbation, 15 cases (31%) with no alteration, and 9 cases (17%) showing improvement. The rate of abortion was 9.6% (5 cases). In 18 cases, the disease had started during pregnancy, 2 of them (11%) ended in an abortion. Overall, postpartum flare was seen in 33 cases (47.1%). Conclusion: Pemphigus may be exacerbated during or after pregnancy, but often to a mild degree. Although the rate of stillbirth was not as high as previously reported, the rate of abortion was considerable. Pregnancy may have an uneventful course, especially in patients in clinical remission; nevertheless, careful monitoring of the high risk mother and fetus is mandatory.