[Pregnancy and inflammatory myopathies]

Abstract

In general, pregnancies in women with inflammatory myopathy (IM) in sustained remission have a favourable outcome, whereas those pregnant patients with active IM have an increased risk for foetal loss, intra-uterine growth retardation and/or prematurity. The effect of pregnancy on disease activity is variable. All patients with active IM need to be followed by a multidisciplinary team including obstetricians, rheumatologists and/or internists in close relationship with a neonatal intensive care unit. Maternal disease should be treated with corticosteroids, using the same dosage and regimen as for non-pregnant women and according to the disease activity and severity.