Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2013 May 3;5(2):138-43.
doi: 10.1159/000351259. Print 2013 May.

Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy presented with targetoid lesions: a report of two cases

Affiliations
Case Reports

Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy presented with targetoid lesions: a report of two cases

Wararat Sirikudta et al. Case Rep Dermatol. .

Abstract

Background: Skin lesions in pregnant women could be caused by physiologic or pathologic changes. Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy (PEP), which manifests as various types of skin lesions, is the most common pregnancy dermatosis. Thus, PEP could mimic other skin diseases related to unfavorable maternal and fetal outcomes.

Main observations: Two PEP patients with targetoid lesions are presented here. One of them was a primigravida, whereas the other was a secundigravida. Both patients had singleton pregnancies and skin rash which started during the third trimester. The lesions began on the abdomen and then spread to the trunk and extremities. The face, palms, soles, and mucosa were not affected. Pruritus was observed but no other systemic symptoms were reported. Both patients delivered healthy, term infants without complications.

Conclusion: Targetoid lesions in PEP are an uncommon presentation, and the differential diagnosis of PEP along with other dermatoses should be considered. However, the prognosis for this type of PEP is not different from that for classic PEP.

Keywords: Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy; Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy; Targetoid lesion.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A G2P0A1 at 37+1 weeks of gestation presented with generalized discrete and confluent erythematous papules and plaques with central dusky red areas (targetoid lesions) on the abdomen and upper extremities (a) and the lower extremities (b).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
A G1P0 at 39+4 weeks of gestation developed discrete, ill-defined, erythematous papules and confluent plaques with central dusky red areas (targetoid lesions) on the abdomen, back, and upper extremities (a) as well as the lower extremities (b).

References

    1. Roth MM. Pregnancy dermatoses: diagnosis, management, and controversies. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2011;12:25–41. - PubMed
    1. Kroumpouzos G, Cohen LM. Specific dermatoses of pregnancy: an evidence-based systematic review. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2003;188:1083–1092. - PubMed
    1. Ahmadi S, Powell FC. Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy: current status. Australas J Dermatol. 2005;46:53–58. quiz 59. - PubMed
    1. Rudolph CM, Al-Fares S, Vaughan-Jones SA, Mullegger RR, Kerl H, Black MM. Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy: clinicopathology and potential trigger factors in 181 patients. Br J Dermatol. 2006;154:54–60. - PubMed
    1. Aronson IK, Bond S, Fiedler VC, Vomvouras S, Gruber D, Ruiz C. Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy: clinical and immunopathologic observations in 57 patients. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1998;39:933–939. - PubMed

Publication types