Pregnancy and Skin: A Review

During Pregnancy, alterations in the appearance of the skin are not uncommon. The skin changes in pregnancy can be either physiological, changes in pre-existing skin diseases or development of new pregnancy specific dermatoses. Pregnancy specific skin dermatoses include an ill-defined heterogeneous group of pruritic skin eruptions which are seen only in pregnancy. These include Prurigo of pregnancy, Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy, Pemphigoid gestationis and Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. Prurigo of pregnancy is the most common of these disorders. Most skin eruptions resolve postpartum and require symptomatic treatment only. Antepartum surveillance is recommended for patients with pemphigoid gestationis and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy as they carry risk to fetus. This Review article deals with the classification, clinical features and treatment of the specific dermatoses of pregnancy.