Dermatoses of Pregnancy

Abstract

The current widely accepted classification for the dermatoses of pregnancy, based on the largest series to date, consists of four major categories: 1) polymorphic eruption of pregnancy (PEP), 2) atopic eruption of pregnancy (AEP), 3) pemphigoid gestationis (PG), and 4) intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, while not associated with any primary skin lesions, is currently accepted as one of the dermatoses of pregnancy. The most common skin disorder in pregnancy is atopic eruption of pregnancy. Pruritus represents a significant symptom in all four dermatoses. Differentiating among these entities, especially in their early stages, may pose a significant diagnostic challenge, requiring excluding each of the dermatoses methodically. Though not included in the current classification, impetigo herpetiformis (IH), a variant of pustular psoriasis, is frequently discussed together with dermatoses of pregnancy, considered by some as the fifth dermatosis of pregnancy. Striae gravidarum and melanoma in pregnancy will also be discussed in depth in this chapter. Multidisciplinary management involving a dermatologist expert in dermatologic conditions in pregnancy is of paramount importance.