Pregnancy and systemic sclerosis

✍ Scribed by Stanley P. Ballou; John J. Morley; Irving Kushner

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1984
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 400 KB
• Volume: 27
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0004-3591
• DOI: 10.1002/art.1780270308

✦ Synopsis

Pregnancy has been reported infrequently in patients with systemic sclerosis. Consequently, the outcome and appropriate management of such patients is uncertain. We review the obstetric experience of 19 female patients with systemic sclerosis, and report 2 women in whom 3 pregnancies occurred during the course of disease. Maternal complications included hypertension during 2 of these pregnancies and congestive heart failure during 1. There were 2 premature deliveries, although all 3 infants survived. Our experience with these patients and a review of the available literature suggest that, in patients with systemic sclerosis, fertility may be reduced and complications of pregnancy may be more frequent.

The occurrence of pregnancy in women who have systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) appears to be uncommon. The infrequency of reports of this association has led to somewhat divergent views concerning the outcome and management of such patients. A review in the obstetric literature recommends consideration of early therapeutic abortion and permanent sterilization because of high maternal morbidity ( I ) .

No firm conclusions can be obtained from the nonobstetric literature. The 1966 Rheumatism Review recorded that no effect on pregnancy was noted in From the