Abstract
Pregnancy represents a major challenge in the management of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, with substantial risks to both mother and baby. Over the past 40 years there have been major improvements in outcomes. This partly relates to the discovery of the antiphospholipid syndrome, which has transformed management of lupus pregnancy, but also due to more effective drugs and better obstetric practice. Despite these advances, significant maternal and fetal morbidity may still occur in patients with lupus nephritis, and there remain ongoing challenges in order to improve outcomes further. In this article we focus on the challenges facing lupus nephritis patients considering pregnancy, and discuss how we approach practical management issues in relation to the current literature.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.
Notes
APS: Antiphospholipid syndrome; eGFR: Estimated glomerular filtration rate; ENA: Extractable nuclear antigen.