Worried about psoriasis affecting your pregnancy or while trying to conceive?
Here are 5 Must-know Facts for Expecting Parents, as explained by Dr Peter Ch’ng.
1. Psoriasis does NOT affect your reproductive health1
Fret not all you future mothers-to-be. While psoriasis can be troubling, it does not affect your chances of getting pregnant. Also, there is no link between psoriasis and having birth defects or miscarriages.
2. Psoriasis MAY be passed down to your child2
While psoriasis is passed on through genetics, there is no guarantee that your child will develop the disease. If both parents have the disease, there is a 65% chance of your child having it too. This risk drops to 25% if only one parent has the disease. The good news is, only 2-3% of gene carriers will have active disease.
3. Pregnancy might aggravate OR relieve psoriasis symptoms3
The truth is, there is no way to determine which group you will fall under. Some women have reported worse psoriasis flare ups while others have noticed their symptoms easing up. This could be due to differing hormonal levels during pregnancy.
4. Childbirth can cause flare-ups3
Childbirth is considered a stressor and can result in a flare up after a C-section as a result of injury to the body. Doctors refer to this as the Koebner phenomenon. Women who already have psoriasis are also at risk for developing psoriatic arthritis after giving birth and may have trouble breastfeeding if the skin around the breast is affected. Other women may develop psoriasis post-pregnancy. It is important to always keep your doctor informed if you have any symptoms of a flare up.
5. Avoid medications that can affect your pregnancy
Always consult your doctor before you and your partner plan to conceive. A ‘washout’ period might be necessary to avoid complications such as birth defects and miscarriages due to medications1. Once you’re pregnant, your doctor may adjust your medications and dosage accordingly.
As a rule of thumb, mild psoriasis is usually treated with topical medication such as mild topical corticosteroids and moisturizers4. Moderate to severe psoriasis can be treated with UVB phototherapy5, cyclosporin or some biologic agents. You may consider biologic agents for severe, treatment-refractory psoriasis during pregnancy.
Harmful treatments that should be avoided during pregnancy and while breastfeeding include psoralens, UVA light therapy, methotrexate and acitretin6.
As with all matters surrounding psoriasis, it is best to speak to your doctor on your plans and treatment options.
