Pregnancy outcome in connective tissue diseases.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the pregnancy outcome in women with systemic lupus erythematosus and other connective tissue diseases attending a specialized high risk clinic at the Royal London Hospital.


METHODS
Retrospective review of 30 patients seen over a 30-month period. Diagnoses included 18 patients with lupus and 5 with mixed connective tissue disease. Patients were evaluated following a standardized protocol.


RESULTS
For all patients there were 28 (93%) live births and 2 spontaneous abortions. Of the live births, 6 (21%) were preterms and 5 (17%) were small for gestational age. For the 18-lupus patients there were 17 (94%) live births and one spontaneous abortion. Of the live births, 3 (18%) were preterm, 25% were small for gestational age and one had neonatal lupus erythematosus. Nine patients (30%) were positive for anti Sjogren's syndrome A antibodies: 7 systemic lupus erythematosus patients (39%) and 2 mixed connective tissue disease patients. Eight patients were positive for anti-phospholipid antibodies: 5 for anti-cardiolipin and 3 patients for lupus anticoagulant.


CONCLUSIONS
Most pregnancies complicated by lupus do well with no maternal or neonatal deaths in a multidisciplinary high-risk clinic. However a high rate of prematurity and small gestational age remains a problem.
Kari
J A
JA
Pediatrics Department, The Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary Westfield College, University of London, United Kingdom. jkari@doctors.org.uk
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D001323:Autoantibodies