Management of connective tissue disorders and dermatological disorders in pregnancy

Abstract

Connective tissue, rheumatological and dermatological conditions affect a large proportion of the pregnant population and have important implications for women and their babies. Some conditions are chronic but may occur de novo in pregnancy whereas some are seen only during pregnancy. Multidisciplinary care is essential to maximise fetal and maternal outcomes, since many of these women require immunosuppressive treatment and close monitoring of their pregnancies. The development of biological therapies has revolutionised treatment of many connective tissue and arthritic diseases, allowing both more targeted treatments and an increase in treatment options. Their impact on fertility is minimal compared to older treatments and hence more women are able to conceive. With new treatments there will always be concerns about safety in pregnancy but concerns around neonatal immunosuppression have largely been unfounded and the benefits of continuing medication are significant. This article uses four cases to illustrate the challenges of management.