Contraception, Sexuality and Pregnancy in Women with Psoriasis: Real-Life Experience of 235 Women

Figures & data

Figure 1 Flowchart of the study.

Table 1 Characteristics of Patients with Psoriasis Based on Pregnancy Status

	Total N=235 (%)	Without Pregnancy n=86 (%)	With Pregnancy n=149 (%)	Pearson’s Chi-Squared Test
Age group (years)
18–24	37 (15)	32 (37)	5 (3)	p-value < 0.001
25–34	88 (37)	32 (37)	56 (38)
35–44	108 (46)	21 (24)	87 (58)
Missing data	2 (1)	1 (1)	1 (1)
Family history of psoriasis
Yes	116 (49)	43 (50)	73 (49)	NS
Psoriasis severity
Mild	183 (78)	68 (79)	115 (77)	NS
Moderate	34 (14)	11 (13)	23 (15.5)
Severe	18 (8)	7 (8)	11 (7.5)
Who diagnosed psoriasis
General practitioner	70 (32)	24 (28)	46 (31)	NS
Dermatologists	144 (66)	49 (57)	95 (64)
Other specialist	3 (1)	1 (1)	2 (1)
Who follows the patient
General practitioner	106 (45)	27 (31)	79 (53)	p-value: 0.001
Dermatologist, hospital	36 (15)	11 (13)	25 (17)	NS
Dermatologist, private	61 (26)	19 (22)	42 (28)	NS
Other specialist	3 (1)	2 (2)	1 (1)	NS
No follow-up	65 (28)	36 (42)	29 (19)	p-value 0.0002
Physician is a woman	94 (40)	28 (56)	66 (55)	p-value: 0.067
Psoriasis distribution
Scalp	158 (67)	63 (73)	95 (64)	NS
Head and neck	97 (41)	43 (50)	54 (36)	NS
Arms and armpits	99 (42)	30 (35)	69 (46)	p-value: 0.047
Hands, fingers, nails	86 (37)	25 (29)	61 (41)	p-value: 0.039
Trunk	65 (28)	19 (22)	46 (31)	p-value: 0.039
Back and shoulders	65 (28)	16 (19)	49 (33)	p-value: 0.010
Genitalia, anus	46 (20)	17 (20)	29 (19.5)	NS
Buttocks, tights	57 (24)	22 (26)	35 (23.5)	NS
Knee, legs, ankles	72 (31)	20 (23)	52 (35)	p-value: 0.038
Feet, toes, nails	71 (30)	22 (26)	49 (33)	NS
Other dermatoses
Acne	59 (59)	22 (27)	37 (29)	NS
Contact eczema	48 (20)	12 (24)	36 (24)	NS
Atopic dermatitis	33 (14)	13 (15)	20 (13)	NS
Vitiligo	8 (3)	2 (2)	6 (4)	NS
Scalp disorder	41 (17)	19 (22)	22 (15)	NS
Quality of life
DLQI	8.8±6.5	7.4±6.2	9.6 ± 6.6	Non-clinically relevant difference
SF-12 (physical)	50.9±8.3	53.0±8.6	49.8± 7.9
SF-12 (mental)	36.7±2.5	35.3±8.9	37.5± 8.9
Psoriasis bothers me	5.8 ± 2.5	5.2±2.7	6.1±2.2

Table 2 Concerns for Women Psoriasis Regarding Pregnancy

	N (%)
If you are pregnant, are you concerned that your psoriasis may interfere with your pregnancy?
Not at all	45 (52)
A little bit	22 (26)
Mildly	12 (14)
A lot	4 (5)
Enormously	3 (3.5)
If you are pregnant, are you concerned that treatment of your psoriasis may interfere with your pregnancy?
Not at all	38 (44)
A little bit	23 (27)
Mildly	15 (17)
A lot	7 (8)
Enormously	3 (3.5)
If you are pregnant, are you afraid of the consequences of your psoriasis on your child?
Not at all	29 (34)
A little bit	31 (36)
Mildly	16 (19)
A lot	4 (5)
Enormously	6 (7)
If you are pregnant, are you concerned about the consequences of treating your psoriasis on your child?
Not at all	34 (39.5)
A little bit	24 (28)
Mildly	13 (15)
A lot	9 (10.5)
Enormously	6 (7)

Table 3 Response Rate of Women Who Answered Correctly to the Following Statements About Psoriasis

	Without Pregnancy N=86 (%)	With Pregnancy N=149 (%)	Total N=235 (%)
If I have psoriasis, my child will have psoriasis too.	38 (44)	78 (52)	116 (49)
When one parent has psoriasis, the child has less than a one-in-five risk of developing the disease.	21 (24)	49 (33)	70 (30)
A pregnant woman cannot take any treatment for psoriasis.	22 (25)	43 (29)	65 (28)
Psoriasis can interfere with a healthy pregnancy.	27 (31)	60 (40)	87 (37)
Psoriasis can disappear during pregnancy.	24 (28)	56 (38)	80 (34)
You cannot breastfeed if you have psoriasis.	31 (36)	83 (56)	114 (48)
Psoriasis is not contagious, it does not transmit directly to the child.	48 (56)	93 (62)	141 (60)