‘I want to have 3-4 kids…I’d like to explore further options’: Sherlyn Chopra opens up on her life-threatening pregnancy complications

To better understand how SLE affects pregnancy, indianexpress.com spoke with medical experts.

Dr. (Prof.) Neerja Goel, senior consultant at Sharda Hospital & Sharda Care Healthcity, said that SLE is a multi-system autoimmune disease that can cause numerous pregnancy complications, including intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), preterm delivery, intrauterine death, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, and preeclampsia. “Pregnancy should only be attempted when the patient has been asymptomatic for six months,” she said.

Dr Goel also said that SLE disproportionately affects women, with a female-to-male ratio of about 10:1. Among pregnant women, it is rare, occurring in approximately 1 in 500 cases. “This condition is characterised by rashes on face, ulcers, arthritis, anemia, convulsions. Albumin in urine, antinuclear antibody test positive, raised serum creatinine are also signs to watch out for. Pregnancy should not occur if the patient has heart failure, lung fibrosis, renal failure or stroke,” she said. To manage the condition, Dr Goel said patients should get folic acid, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), azathioprine or cyclosporine.

Dr Rajshree, BAMS, said that SLE can also lead to neonatal lupus syndrome and other complications like preeclampsia or high blood pressure. Common symptoms include fever, fatigue, joint pain, skin rashes, hair loss, mouth ulcers, and swelling in the limbs and face.

To manage SLE, Dr Rajshree said, “using anti-inflammatory drugs, avoiding sun exposure, using corticosteroids, getting on a special kind of anti-inflammatory diet, and taking nutritional supplements such as fish oil will help.” She also said that in many cases, patients will also benefit from acupuncture therapy.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.