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Systemic lupus erythematosus pregnancies: the Sarawak experience and review of lupus pregnancies in Asia

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Abstract

We performed a cross-sessional study of all systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pregnancies during a 4-year period (2006–2009) to describe the clinical features, maternal and foetal outcomes in our centre. There were 48 pregnancies in 44 women with SLE. Our patients have a mean age of 30.0 years (SD 6.36) and a mean disease duration of 40.67 months (SD 48.23). Our patients have complicated pregnancies: 32.7% have SLE flares, 17.3% have preeclampsia and 48.9% needed caesarean sections. There were 20.0% foetal losses and 17.8% preterm deliveries in our patients. SLE flares contributed to 60.0% of foetal losses in our patients. Lupus pregnancies in our centre generally have a good maternal and foetal outcome comparable to developed countries in Asia. The low incidence of APS, the high usage of hydroxychloroquine and the high SLE remission rate in our patients prior to conceptions contributed to the good outcome.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge the support of the Ministry of Health, Malaysia for technical support of the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Sarawak General Hospital, Jalan Hospital, 93450, Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia

    C. L. Teh, J. S. Wong, N. K. N. Ngeh & W. L. H. Loh

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sarawak General Hospital, Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia

    C. L. Teh, J. S. Wong, N. K. N. Ngeh & W. L. H. Loh

Authors
  1. C. L. Teh
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  2. J. S. Wong
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  3. N. K. N. Ngeh
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  4. W. L. H. Loh
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Correspondence to C. L. Teh.

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Teh, C.L., Wong, J.S., Ngeh, N.K.N. et al. Systemic lupus erythematosus pregnancies: the Sarawak experience and review of lupus pregnancies in Asia. Rheumatol Int 31, 1153–1157 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-010-1435-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-010-1435-0

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