Open Access Peer Reviewed ISSN: 2378-6337

Autoimmune Diseases and Therapeutic Approaches

International open-access publishing for high-quality research, reviews, case studies, and scholarly communication.

Submit Manuscript
Original Research Vol. 2, Issue 1 (2015)

Pregnancy in Patients with SLE

Sayumi Baba1, 2*, Hiroshi Okamoto2 and Hisashi Yamanaka1
Corresponding Author: Sayumi Baba
Received: Nov 09, 2014
Accepted: Feb 13, 2015
Published: Feb 16, 2015
Views: 10
DOI: N/A

Abstract

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease predominantly affecting women of childbearing age. Pregnancy in women with SLE is associated with higher fetal and maternal risk compared with the general population. SLE flares, higher rates of pregnancy complications and the risk of Neonatal Lupus Syndromes (NLS), especially congenital Complete Heart Block (CHB) are major concerns. Pregnancy complications include fetal loss, preeclampsia, preterm delivery and Intra Uterine Growth Restriction (IUGR). High disease activity, renal involvement and the presence of antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies, anti-SSA/Ro and SSB/La specific antibodies are particularly at risk. As normal physiological changes during pregnancy could show symptoms and signs resembling those with active SLE, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between these conditions. One of the candidate clinical markers would be high titer of antidouble-stranded DNA antibodies to distinguish between flare of SLE and normal physiological changes during pregnancy. Medications during pregnancy are also an important issue. Some immune-suppressants such as cyclophosphamide or Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF) should not be taken during pregnancy. Non-fluorinated steroids, calcineurin inhibitors and azathioprine can be used and continuous use of hydroxy chloroquine during pregnancy is considered beneficial. Administration of low-dose aspirin prior to 16 weeks of gestation should be considered in all   pregnant women with SLE at elevated risk of preeclampsia. In conclusion, it is important that disease progression and development of auto antibodies be monitored in pregnant 
women at risk of SLE in order to ensure good outcomes. 


Keywords: Fetal Loss; Intra-Uterine Growth Restriction (IUGR); Neonatal Lupus; Pregnancy; Preeclampsia; Systemic Lupus Erythematosus 

 

Download PDF
Sayumi Baba (2015), Pregnancy in Patients with SLE. Autoimmune Dis Ther Approaches Open Access 2:113
Copyright: Copyright: © 2015 ADTAOA. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, Version 3.0, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Indexed In
Google Scholar
DOAJ
PubMed
Scopus