Pregnancy's effects on the skin. Common and uncommon changes.

Abstract

The skin almost always shows changes during pregnancy. Some of these alterations are so predictable as to be considered normal. Not nearly so common are a host of pruritic dermatoses, including pruritus gravidarum, herpes gestationis, pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy, Spangler 's papular dermatitis of pregnancy, and impetigo herpetiformis. Some of these conditions can cause maternal and/or fetal complications and even death; others, although benign and transient, add to the stress of pregnancy. Physician adeptness at diagnosing and treating skin diseases specific to or affected by pregnancy is thus of vital importance in caring for pregnant women.