Overview of etiology, symptoms, management and complications of systemic lupus erythematosus in pregnancy

Emilija Stulginskaitė1, Gabrielė Petlinskaitė1, Marija Ramanauskaitė1

1Faculty of Medicine, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease caused by the interaction of immune, hormonal, genetic and environmetal factors. The incidence of this disease is highest among women of reproductive age. One of the main signs of systemic lupus erythematosus during pregnancy is an increased rate in disease activity and exacerbation. SLE activity during pregnancy is monitored by examining renal function and serological markers. In the presence of similar clinical manifestations during pregnancy, it is necessary to differentiate from the exacerbation of SLE disease. It is safe to use antimalarial drugs during pregnancy to maintain control of disease activity. The use of other drugs should be limited, taking into account the harm-benefit interaction and the exacerbation of the disease. The number of pregnancy complications and poor outcomes is higher among patients with SLE compared to the healthy female population. In this article, we will review the systemic etiology of lupus erythematosus, characteristic clinical symptoms, treatment, and complications during pregnancy.Keywords: Systemic lupus erythematosus; Pregnancy; Treatment.