Psoriasis May Improve During Pregnancy

Psoriasis Relief Fades Postpartum

Six weeks after giving birth, 65% of the patients reported a worsening of their psoriasis, while 26% reported no change and only 9% reported improvement.

On average, the area of psoriasis doubled between the 30th week of pregnancy and six weeks after delivery. But the researchers note that the patients' psoriasis did not become any worse during the postpartum period than it had been during the first trimester.

When the study group returned to prepregnancy hormone levels, there was no difference between the amounts of body area with psoriasis in the two groups.

"In other words," the researchers write, "the 'postpartum flare' previously described by patients anecdotally was really a return to the patients' baseline."

Strong Link to Hormone Levels

The researchers tracked hormone levels during and after pregnancy and found that fluctuations in psoriasis areas corresponded with changes in levels. There was no link between psoriasis and progesterone levels.

"We believe that further examination of how estrogen may improve psoriasis is warranted," the researchers write. "Whether estriol [an estrogen found during pregnancy] can improve psoriasis or can prevent worsening of psoriasis in menopause should be explored."

The study was funded in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the National Center for Research Resources, and the National Psoriasis Foundation.

SOURCES: Murase, J. Archives of Dermatology, May 2005; vol 141: pp 601-606. News release, JAMA/Archives.