Cutaneous manifestation in pregnancy

Abstract

Back ground: During pregnancy there is immunologic, metabolic, endocrine and vascular changes responsible for physiological and pathological skin changes.

Aims and Objectives: The objectives of the study to determine the pattern of the skin changes associated withpregnancy and to examine in detail both physiological and specific dermatosis. To identify the various clinical types of pregnancyspecific physiological changes and to know the proportion of these cutaneous manifestation in pregnant women.

Materials and Method: The study was a cross sectional study carried out at the out patient department of gynaecological and obstetrics at Adhichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, Bellur, Karnataka. Study was a period of 6 months. A total of 200 pregnant females, irrespective of their parity and gestational age were examined for any dermatological complaint.

Result: The age of the study population ranged from 17 to 39 years (mean=24years), the study population included 200, (60%) primigravida, 40% multigravida. Skin changes were grouped in to: physiological changes (all cases), other dermatoses affected by pregnancy (80 cases), specific dermatoses (20 cases). Most common physiological changes were pigmentary alteration 184 cases (92%), followed by straie seen in 172 cases (86%). Of the various specific dermatoses of pregnancy, Pruritic utricarial papules and plaques of pregnancy was the most common disorder (13 cases), followed by Pruritus gravidarum (6 cases). The most common dermatoses affected by pregnancy Vulvovaginal candidiasis (30 cases), acne vulgaris (20 cases), eczemas (10 cases).

Conclusion: Pregnant women are prone to suffer from a wide range of dermatological problems apart from specific dermatoses of pregnancy. The study emphasizes the need for a detailed and meticulous examination of these patients to detect various disorders.