Meghana Manharlal Kariya1, Maheshkumar Chaturbhai Patel2
BACKGROUND
The present study was conducted to evaluate the incidence, clinical presentation,
course and prognosis of physiological changes of pregnancy i.e. to study the
incidence of different dermatoses during pregnancy, cutaneous manifestations
associated with pregnancy according to trimester and parity of pregnancy, specific
dermatoses of pregnancy, the presence of same or other diseases in the past
pregnancy, and observe the relative effect of pregnancy on already existing
dermatoses or which are basically not related to pregnancy.
METHODS
A random hospital based descriptive study of 80 patients with pregnancy, who
attended skin outpatient department (OPD) in GMERS Medical College,
Himmatnagar, Gujarat, India, was done. Detailed history was taken, and each
patient was examined thoroughly. General- and systemic-examination were done
and whenever necessary, relevant investigations were done.
RESULTS
A total of 80 patients were included in the study. Of them 39 (48.7 %) were
primipara and 41 (51.3 %) were multipara. Skin changes were grouped into
physiological changes (all cases), specific dermatoses (17 cases) and other
dermatoses (52 cases). Most common physiological changes were related to
pigmentation followed by striae gravidarum. Physiological changes were observed
in almost all the patients.
CONCLUSIONS
Pregnant women are prone to suffer from a wide range of dermatological problems
apart from the specific dermatoses of pregnancy. Detailed history and awareness
of clinical presentation facilitates the confirmation of diagnosis and will direct the
most appropriate laboratory evaluation in an effort to minimize maternal and foetal
morbidity.
