Pregnancy; a study on frequency of skin changes during physiologic and pathologic

ABSTRACT

To determine frequency and pattern of skin changes during pregnancy. Cross sectional study. Outpatient department of Dermatology and Gynaecology at Dow University Hospital, Ojha campus in Karachi. May 10, 2013 and January 10, 2014. [8 months]. It comprises 80 consecutive pregnant women with skin problem, who presented in outpatient department of Dermatology with referral cases from Obs and Gynae outpatient department.Information was collected on predesigned questionnaire after taking informed consent. Total 80 pregnant women were included in study with different skin problems. The results indicate thatmost of women 72.5% presented during third trimester and 43.8% women were primigravida. Striagravidarum and lneanigra was commonest physiological changes, reported in 54%, 52% women consecutively. Eczema,utricaria and candidiasis were reported in 16.3% and 15% and 15% women consecutively. Prurigo of pregnancy was reported in 17.5% followed by pruritic folliculitis of pregnancy in 6.3% women. This study concluded that skin changes during pregnancy are frequent in Pakistani women. These changes could be physiological or pathological