title: Behçet's syndrome and pregnancy: course of the disease and pregnancy outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the current available literature on the mutual effect of pregnancy or contraceptives and Behçet's disease (BD) in order to guide our patients more wisely before they take contraceptives or decide to conceive.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a systematic review of the literature regarding the above issues using PubMed, Cochrane and EMBase databases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have found 21 case reports and 11 series dealing with the mutual effect of pregnancy or contraceptives and Behçet's disease and 5 case reports dealing with BD and contraceptives. In most cases the course of BD was ameliorated or unchanged during pregnancy. The outcome of pregnancy in BD patients was poorer than that in healthy individuals. Contraceptives have various effects on the course of BD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the above impression, it is quite difficult to predict the course of the disease during pregnancy in an individual BD patient. Patients with BD and a history of thrombosis are recommended to avoid contraceptive pills.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. eldad@hadassah.org.il.
authors.forename: Eldad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ben-Chetrit
mesh_terms: D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003270:Contraceptive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D003270:Contraceptive Agents