Dermatological Disorders in Pregnancy: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: During pregnancy immunologic, metabolic, endocrine, and vascular changes occur, which make the pregnant woman susceptible to changes of the skin and appendages, both physiologic and pathologic. Aims: We undertook a clinical study to find out the frequency and pattern of dermatological disorders in pregnant women. Material and Methods: All consecutive pregnant women attending skin out-patient department with dermatological disorders over a period of 3-year between August 2011 and November 2013 at our tertiary care hospital are included. Results: A total of 372 pregnant women were included in this study. Out of these, 146 (39.25%) pregnant women were primigravida and 226 (60.75%) were multigravida. Skin disorders grouped into specific dermatoses (81 cases) and other dermatoses affected by pregnancy (291 cases). In various specific dermatoses of pregnancy, atopic eruptions of pregnancy were the most common disorder (53 cases). The most common infectious dermatoses affected by pregnancy were vulvovaginal candidiasis (58 cases) and non-infectious dermatoses affected by pregnancy were acne vulgaris (14 cases). Conclusion: This study brings focus on pregnancy-specific and non-specific dermatoses.