Pregnancy Dermatoses CS-OSPE

Pemphigoid Gestation / Herpes Gestationis (formerly Pemphigus Gestation)

Description/Clinical Features: Pregnant woman Itchy umbilicus, pruritic eruption On her 21 weeks of her pregnancy Involves the umbilicus Subepidermal Blister - Papule - Vesicles - Bullae A multipara lady on her 21 weeks of her pregnancy developed a pruritic eruption. A 35-year-old pregnant woman, G1P0, in her second trimester, presented to the ER with a widespread severe pruritic eruption that involved all the body. On examinations, a few bullae were found on her upper thighs. Her GP tried antipruritic treatments including antihistamines, emollients, and topical steroids without noticeable improvement.

  • From the picture and description, what are important clinical features of this condition?
    • Widespread pruritic eruption (papules, vesicles, bullae)
    • Subepidermal blisters
    • Often involves the umbilicus (a key differentiating feature from PUPPP, which usually spares the umbilicus)
    • Commonly occurs in the second trimester of pregnancy

Diagnosis:

  • Pemphigoid gestationis / Pemphigus gestation (also known as Herpes Gestationis)

Differential Diagnosis (DDx):

  • PUPPP (Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy)

Confirmatory Test: * Direct Immunofluorescence (DIF): * Expected finding: A linear band of C3 +/- IgG at the basement membrane zone.

Support Diagnosis:

  • Umbilical involvement
    • Direct Immunofluorescence

Treatment:

  • Topical steroids mild cases
  • Systemic steroid / Oral prednisone if severe (e.g., Prednisone), especially if topical steroids didn’t improve the patient or in severe/widespread cases.
  • (Okay for pregnancy to give systemic)

Complications:

  • Preterm labor / Preterm delivery
  • Postpartum severe eruption may occur
  • Low birth weight / Small-for-gestational age infants
  • Fetus acquires it too / Blister in neonate
  • Recurs in later pregnancy / Recurrency

Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy (PUPPP)

Diagnosis:

  • Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP)

Characteristic:

  • Does not involve the umbilicus

Treatment:

  1. Topical steroid
    • In severe case, oral prednisone
  2. Anti-histamine

What is false (regarding recurrence):

  • Recurrence at next pregnancy (implies it usually does not recur)

Differential Diagnosis (DDx):

  • Pemphigoid gestationis

Intense, non-remitting pruritus without skin lesions, itch is worse after a hot shower

Case 15: Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP)

Diagnosis Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP)

Differential Diagnosis

  1. Alcoholic hepatitis
  2. Drug-induced hepatitis
  3. Biliary obstruction
  4. Primary biliary cirrhosis

Description No skin lesions

Pathophysiology Due to increased levels of estrogen

Estrogen Effects

  1. Promotes cholestasis
  2. Inhibits reuptake of bile acids into hepatocytes
  3. Inhibits bile transport proteins

Complications for the Mother

  1. Bleeding
  2. Intestinal malabsorption
  3. Cholelithiasis.

Complications for the Fetus

  1. Prematurity
  2. Fetal distress
  3. Death.

Goal of Treatment

  1. Decrease circulating bile acids
  2. Reduce symptoms
  3. Prevent maternal and fetal complications

Management

  1. Full history
  2. Examination
  3. Education
  4. Ursodeoxycholic acid
  5. Vitamin K supplementation
  6. When cholestasis is severe, delivery is considered earlier if fetal lung maturity is established

Clinical Presentation: This lady presented with this facial discoloration which she developed during her first gestation. Name:

  1. Melasma Treatment:
  2. k ligman regime