BACKGROUND/AIMS: The effect of inflammatory skin diseases on pregnancy has been incompletely characterized. We sought to estimate the incidence of pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes among women with inflammatory skin diseases.
METHODS: Cohort study of women with atopic dermatitis (AD), psoriasis, other inflammatory skin diseases, and comparison group, followed for pregnancies and pregnancy outcomes.
RESULTS: There were 3,131 pregnancies among 64,773 woman-years (4.8/100) in women with skin diseases, and 2,592 pregnancies among 59,826 woman-years (4.3/100) in the comparison group. The age-standardized incidence of pregnancy was similar to the comparison group [rate ratio (RR) = 1.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-1.4 for AD, RR = 1.1, 95% CI 1.0-1.2 for psoriasis, and RR = 1.1, 95% CI 1.0-1.1 for other]. Spontaneous abortion was also similar to the comparison group (RR = 1.2 for AD, 95% CI 1.0-1.4, RR = 1.1, 95% CI 1.0-1.2 for psoriasis, and RR = 1.1, 95% CI 1.0-1.1 for other).
CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest little effect of skin disease on incidence or outcome of pregnancy.
