Management of vasculitis in pregnancy

Vasculitis in pregnancy is a rare disease-modifying effect on autoimmune connective tissue diseases such as vasculitis and that connective tissue disease can have an adverse effect on pregnancy. It is essential that pregnant women with vasculitis are managed to the highest standards of care in order to prevent negative outcomes not only for the mother but also for the child. Vasculitis in pregnancy is probably underdiagnosed and under-reported; cases of vasculitis are rare and so disease flares may not always be recognized by a general clinician. Preconceptual counseling is critical, and assessment of disease activity, major organ involvement, and risk factors, such as hypertension and renal impairment, will help to guide both the woman and her clinicians as to the risks entailed in embarking on a pregnancy. Such patients are best catered for in multidisciplinary settings where there is access to specialized care from nephrologists, rheumatologists and respiratory medicine physicians, as well as obstetricians and pediatricians skilled in caring for complex pregnancies. This article aims to provide an approach to managing these patients with the best current evidence-based practice.

Abstract licence: CC BY-NC-SA

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