Pregnancy Outcomes in a Group of Egyptian Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Cohort Study

Abstract

ystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) predominantly affects women of childbearing age thus pregnancy in lupus patients is a common clinical scenario. SLE adversely affects pregnancy outcomes and pregnancy leads to SLE flares. Studies elucidating the outcomes of pregnancy among SLE patients and comparing them to controls are scarce especially in Egypt. The aim of this study was to determine the frequencies and predictors of maternal and fetal pregnancy outcomes in women with SLE by a prospective cohort study. The current study was carried out at Ain Shams University Hospitals and included 71 pregnant lupus patients and 71 matched healthy pregnant controls. After obtaining informed oral consent, participants underwent full medical history and examination with assessment of disease activity in SLE group and recording their SLEPDAI score at baseline and the end of each trimester or the end of pregnancy. Obstetric history & examination was repeated every 4 weeks in the first trimester, every 2 weeks in the second trimester and weekly in the last trimester with special attention to complications.