Maternal autoimmune disorders and fetal defects

Abstract

Maternal autoantibodies can cross the placenta and cause fetal damage. This article summarizes the development and management of fetal thyroid goiter in response to maternal Graves’ disease and/or its treatment with antithyroid medication, fetal heart block due to maternal anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies, fetal athrogryposis multiplex congenita in association with maternal myasthenia gravis and fetal brain hemorrhage due to maternal autoimmune thrombocytopenia.

Keywords:

• Maternal autoantibodies
• fetal thyroid goiter
• Graves’ disease
• fetal heart block
• anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies
• athrogryposis multiplex congenital
• myasthenia gravis
• fetal brain hemorrhage
• autoimmune thrombocytopenia

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The study was supported by a grant to AMP from the Fetal Medicine Foundation (Charity no. 1037116).