PSORIASIS AND PREGNANCY - HORMONE AND IMMUNE-SYSTEM INTERACTION

Background. Various hormonal states are known to be associated with th e waxing and waning of psoriasis. Patients with psoriasis commonly exp erience changes in their cutaneous disease during pregnancy or post pa rtum. Objective. We evaluated 100 women with psoriasis by questionnair e and interview. The women had been seen at the Baylor Psoriasis Cente r, Dallas, and had experienced a pregnancy while having psoriasis. The answers were sorted and tabulated. In addition, we reviewed the liter ature to ascertain possible causes of clinical changes in psoriasis du ring pregnancy. Results. Ninety questionnaires were completed. Sixty-n ine women (76.7%) described a change in their psoriasis during pregnan cy with 57 (63.3%) noting improvement. Seventy-nine patients (87.7%) h ad a postpartum flare, most within 4 months of delivery. Conclusions. The majority of women with psoriasis, who become pregnant, experience a change, usually an improvement, in their cutaneous disease. Pregnanc y is associated with hormonal changes in estrogens and progesterone re sulting in a state of altered immune surveillance.