SARCOIDOSIS AND PREGNANCY - RETROSPECTIVE STUDY OF 11 CASES

Purpose. -To analyze the evolutive profile of sarcoidosis together wit h reciprocal interactions between pregnancy and sarcoidosis. Methods. -All events that occurred during pregnancy in 11 women presenting with sarcoidosis were analyzed. Histological confirmation was obtained for the 11 cases. For all pregnancies were analyzed the course of both sa rcoidosis and pregnancy, and the influence of pregnancy on the disease evolution. Results. -Among 33 pregnancies, 23 led to the birth of hea lthy fetuses (five spontaneous abortions, four voluntary abortions, an d one therapeutic abortion). The major event was fetal hypotrophy in s ix cases. Three of them occurred during pregnancy in prednisone-treate d patients with active sarcoidosis. No relapse of cared sarcoidosis or further evolution of sarcoidosis that was inactivated as of the begin ning of pregnancy were observed The course of active sarcoidosis varie d, as improvement (one case), worsening (two cases) and stabilization (two cases) were observed. During the first year of follow-up after de livery, four relapses and, in two cases, preliminary signs of the dise ase were observed. Conclusion.-Apart from the hypothetical but not def inite risk of hypotrophy, no negative interaction between sarcoidosis and pregnancy could be established Pregnancy does not seem to interfer e with the course of sarcoidosis. Considering the risk of relapse afte r delivery, pregnant women presenting with sarcoidosis should benefit from clinical and radiological follow-up. (C) 1998, Elsevier, Paris.