Pregnancy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

We reviewed the obstetrical performance and outcome of 15 pregnancies in pa tients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (study group) and compared t hem with 45 age and parity-matched normal pregnancies (control group). Elev en women (73.8%) were in remission phase and 4 (26.7%) had active disease a t the time of conception. The time interval between disease diagnosis and t he index pregnancy was 4.2 +/- 2.5 years. Two patients with renal involveme nt had lupus flare-up during the antenatal period. There was no case of lup us flare-up in the postpartum period. Gestational age at delivery was signi ficantly lower in SLE patients (35.9 +/- 2.5 weeks) compared to the control group (37.4 +/- 2.2 weeks). The incidence of intrauterine growth retardati on was significantly higher in the SLE patients (40%), There was no case of neonatal lupus or congenital heart block.