Takayasu Arteritis and Pregnancy

Objective To assess the relationship between Takayasu arteritis (TAK) and pregnancy outcome. Methods This study included 240 pregnancies in 96 patients fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of TAK and/or the 1994 Chapel Hill Consensus Conference nomenclature/criteria for vasculitis. We analyzed obstetric and maternal outcomes in women who were pregnant before and/or at the same time as or after TAK diagnosis. We assessed factors associated with complicated pregnancy. Results One hundred forty-two pregnancies occurred in 52 patients before TAK diagnosis (median age at pregnancy 26 years [interquartile range 23–30 years]), and 98 pregnancies occurred in 52 patients concomitant with or after TAK diagnosis (median age at pregnancy 28 years [interquartile range 26–31 years]). Pregnancies concomitant with or after TAK diagnosis had a 13-fold higher rate of obstetric complications compared to pregnancies before TAK diagnosis (odds ratio 13 [95% confidence interval 5–33], P 1) (odds ratio 28.7 [95% confidence interval 7.89–104.7]) were independently associated with obstetric and maternal complications. Conclusion TAK negatively affects pregnancy outcomes. Disease activity increases the risk of obstetric and maternal complications, mainly due to arterial hypertension.