Takayasu arteritis in pregnancy: Safe management options in antenatal care

Takayasu arteritis is a nonspecific chronic inflammatory vascular disease of unknown etiology with a higher incidence during the child- bearing years. It usually involves the branches of the aortic arch. Most of the patients enter the pregnancy being already diagnosed as having the disease and being on medication. The state of the disease in early pregnancy is a definitive factor for determining its management. Although it seems that pregnancy is a state favorable to this disease, nevertheless, complications should be anticipated, and close multidisciplinary maternal and fetal surveillance is mandatory. Early- onset hypertension is the commonest complication, and its magnitude during the late gestational period is the second definitive factor for the management of these pregnancies. A vaginal delivery should be aimed at term with continuous electronic fetal monitoring. The immediate postpartum period is usually uncomplicated despite the circulatory alterations that take place. Copyright (C) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel