Emek Kocatürk, et al.
Allergy. 2021 May 22. doi: 10.1111/all.14950. Online ahead of print.
Chronic urticaria is an inflammatory condition characterized by wheals, angioedema, or both for more than six weeks. Women are more affected, and it is thought that sex hormones have a modulation capacity in women with urticaria. The objective of this study was to assess the evolution and characteristics of chronic urticaria during pregnancy.
PREG-CU was an international, multicenter study of the Urticaria Centers of Reference and Excellence (UCARE) network that included 288 women with chronic urticaria who became pregnant within the last three years and completed a 47-item questionnaire.
A total of 288 pregnancies of 288 women with chronic urticaria from 13 countries were analyzed. Half of the women reported their chronic urticaria had improved, 29% reported worsening, and 20% didn’t notice changes. Urticaria exacerbations happened mainly in the first or third trimester (22,8% and 27,6%, respectively). The risk factors were: mild disease and no angioedema before pregnancy, no treatment before pregnancy, exacerbation in a previous pregnancy, treatment during pregnancy, and stress. After giving birth, 44% of the women reported no changes in the disease, 37% reported worsening, and 18% improved.
In conclusion, pregnancy impacts the course of urticaria, and counsel and management should be done on a one-to-one basis. More prospective studies are needed to assess the importance and reliability of urticaria risk factors during pregnancy.
