Abstract: Background: Pregnant women undergoes myriad of changes largely modulated by hormonal, immunologic, vascular and metabolic factors thus making them susceptible to various physiological and pathological changes.
Aim: Due to lack of detailed literature, especially from our region, this study was conducted to examine both physiological changes and specific dermatoses of pregnancy.
Material and Methods: 100 consecutive pregnant females attending the out-patient department between August 2018 to April 2019 for routine obstetric checkup irrespective of gestational age and parity were enrolled. General physical examination, cutaneous examination including mucosa, hair and nails was done. Cutaneous changes during pregnancy were divided into three categories, namely, physiological changes, Pregnancy Specific Dermatoses (PSD), and skin diseases affected by pregnancy.
Results: In this study, the mean age was 25 years (range: 18-33 years), of which primigravida were 32% and multigravida constituted 68% of the sample, maximum patients (48%) were in 3rd trimester. 100% cases presented with physiological skin changes of pregnancy, 2% had specific dermatoses of pregnancy, whereas 14% presented with other dermatosis associated with pregnancy. Among the physiological changes, hyperpigmentation was the most common cutaneous finding with linea nigra the commonest pattern in 82% followed by connective tissue changes of pregnancy that is striae gravidarum in 68% of cases. Among the specific dermatosis of pregnancy, 2 (2%) cases of Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy (PUPPP) were documented. The most common infectious dermatosis affected by pregnancy in this study group was vulvovaginal candidiasis (5 cases).
Conclusion: This study brings focus on pregnancy-specific and non-specific dermatoses.
Indexed in Index Copernicus
