An atypical presentation of polymorphic eruption in early pregnancy in a 40-year-old female: Case in images

ABSTRACT

@#Polymorphic eruption in pregnancy (PEP), formerly known as pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy, is a common gestational dermatosis. It rarely manifests in the early trimester of pregnancy and hardly persists in the postpartum period especially in multigravid patients. PEP usually appears late in the third trimester of a first pregnancy, and less frequently in the immediate postpartum period. It occurs almost exclusively in primigravid mothers and is more common in multiple pregnancies.1 2 3 Recurrence in subsequent pregnancies is extremely rare.3 4 The cause of PEP is still unknown, although various theories have been proposed, including increased skin distention, deposition of fetal DNA in skin lesions, high levels of progesterone, and increased progesterone receptor immunoreactivity in patients with PEP.