Treatment of Autoimmune Bullous Diseases During Pregnancy and Lactation: A Review Focusing on Pemphigus and Pemphigoid Gestationis

• Main Authors: Giovanni Genovese, Federica Derlino, Emilio Berti, Angelo Valerio Marzano
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2020-10-01
• Series: Frontiers in Pharmacology
• Subjects: autoimmune bullous diseases; pemphigus; pregnancy; lactation; management; treatment
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphar.2020.583354/full

Pregnancy may induce the onset or exacerbation of autoimmune bullous diseases such as pemphigus or pemphigoid gestationis. A shift toward T helper (Th) 2 immune response and the influence of hormonal changes have been evoked as possible triggering factors. Therapeutic management of this setting of patients may represent a challenge, mainly due to safety concerns of some immunosuppressive drugs during pregnancy and lactation. In this narrative review, we provided a comprehensive overview of the therapeutic management of autoimmune bullous diseases in pregnant and breastfeeding women, focusing on pemphigus and pemphigoid gestationis.