title: Polymyositis/dermatomyositis and pregnancy.
abstract: Eighteen women with polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM) were studied to determine the possible influences of pregnancy on the disease and the influence of the disease on pregnancy. Before the onset of PM/DM there were 77 pregnancies: 7 (9%) ended in abortion, 2 (2.5%) in perinatal deaths, with a total fetal loss of 11.5%. There were 3 (3.8%) premature newborns that survived. These figures are equivalent to those of the general population. There were 10 pregnancies in 7 patients coinciding with PM/DM, 1 of them with twins; 3 (30%) ended in abortion, 3 (25%) in perinatal deaths, with a total fetal loss of 55%, and 5 (50%) pregnancies ended prematurely. Four of the 7 women had onset of PM/DM during pregnancy, and 3 others with previously inactive disease had an exacerbation during pregnancy. There were no maternal deaths, nor was there any correlation between activity of PM/DM and fetal loss. These results together with those previously reported suggest that pregnancy in PM/DM should be considered high-risk for both the mother and the baby.
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D009220:Myositis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk