Abstract
BackgroundThe myasthenia gravis is twice as common in women as in men and frequently affects young women in the second and third decades of life, overlapping with the childbearing years. Generally, during pregnancy in one third of patients the disease exacerbates, whereas in two thirds it remains clinically unchanged. Complete remission can occur in some patients.MethodsTo describe the clinical course, delivery and neonatal outcome of 18 pregnant women with the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis. Retrospective chart review of pregnant patients with myasthenia gravis, followed at the National Institute of Perinatology in Mexico City over an 8-year period. Data was abstracted from the medical records on the clinical course during pregnancy, delivery and neonatal outcome.ResultsFrom January 1, 1996 to December 31, 2003 18 patients with myasthenia gravis were identified and included in the study. The mean ± SD maternal age was 27.4 ± 4.0 years. During pregnancy 2 women (11%) had an improvement in the clinical symptoms of myasthenia gravis, 7 women (39%) had clinical worsening of the condition of 9 other patients (50%) remained clinically unchanged. Nine patients delivered vaginally, 8 delivered by cesarean section and 1 pregnancy ended in fetal loss. Seventeen infants were born at mean ± SD gestational age of 37.5 ± 3.0 weeks and a mean birth weight of 2710 ± 73 g. Only one infant presented with transient neonatal myasthenia gravis. No congenital anomalies were identified in any of the newborns.ConclusionsThe clinical course of myasthenia gravis during pregnancy is variable, with a significant proportion of patients experiencing worsening of the clinical symptoms. However, neonatal transient myasthenia was uncommon in our patient population.
Highlights
The myasthenia gravis is twice as common in women as in men and frequently affects young women in the second and third decades of life, overlapping with the childbearing years
The purpose of our present study was to report on the clinical course, delivery and neonatal outcome of pregnant women with the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis, followed in our perinatal center
Transient neonatal myasthenia gravis was diagnosed on the bases of clinical signs of generalized hypotonia, sucking disturbances, weak cry and respiratory difficulties
Summary
The myasthenia gravis is twice as common in women as in men and frequently affects young women in the second and third decades of life, overlapping with the childbearing years. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an acquired, neuromuscular, autoimmune disease that presents clinically with weakness and fatigue of the skeletal muscles. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2004, 5:42 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2474/5/42 autoimmune process mediated by antibodies directed against the alpha-subunit of the nicotine receptor of the acetylcholine [1]. The disease is twice as common in women as in men and frequently affects young women in the second and third decades of life, overlapping with the childbearing years [2,3]. Of the women who experience worsening, it usually occurs during the first trimester. Complete remission can occur in some patients [4,5,6,7,8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
