Dermatoses in Pregnancy

Abstract

Pregnancy dermatoses describe a set of extremely pruritic dermatologic disorders that uniquely present in the gestational period. Those who care for pregnant women are left to try to differentiate these conditions. They are pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP), pemphigoid gestationis, atopic eruption of pregnancy, and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. While the most common of these, atopic eruption of pregnancy and PUPPP, are benign, self-limiting diseases that have no implications for the fetus, pemphigoid gestationis and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy both pose a risk to the fetus and are associated with adverse outcomes. A clinician’s ability to distinguish these conditions can impact both the mother and the fetus.