If you're living with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS)—a painful, chronic skin condition that causes deep, inflamed lumps—and are pregnant or planning to be, a major new review of the evidence has important news for you. The analysis, which looked at data from over 15 million pregnancies, found that having HS is linked to a higher chance of several serious pregnancy complications. For the mother, this includes a greater risk of developing gestational diabetes (high blood sugar during pregnancy), pre-eclampsia (a dangerous high blood pressure condition), needing a cesarean section, and experiencing postpartum hemorrhage (heavy bleeding after birth). For the baby, maternal HS was linked to a higher chance of spontaneous abortion (miscarriage), being born preterm (too early), and having birth defects. The study concludes that this increased risk highlights a critical need for pregnant women with HS. It's not just a skin issue; it's a whole-body concern that requires early attention and coordinated care between dermatologists and obstetricians to help protect both maternal health and fetal development.
Does a painful skin condition raise pregnancy risks? A new review finds it's linked to diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and birth defects.
Plain Language Summary
What this means for you:
Pregnant women with hidradenitis suppurativa face higher risks for diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and birth defects, needing coordinated care. What this means for you:
Pregnant women with hidradenitis suppurativa face higher risks for diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and birth defects, needing coordinated care. View Original Abstract ↓
BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis primarily affecting women of reproductive age. HS may contribute to an increase of adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs).
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association of HS with APOs.
METHODS: A systematic review was conducted of observational studies examining the association of maternal HS with APOs. We searched MEDLINE, Embase and CENTRAL from inception to 15 March 2025 for relevant studies. No restrictions were imposed on language or geographical regions. Observational studies, including cohort and case-control designs, which examined the odds or risk of APOs among pregnant patients were considered eligible for inclusion. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. A random-effects model meta-analysis using the inverse-variance-weighted method was performed.
RESULTS: We included four retrospective cohort studies with 15 189 175 pregnancies. The overall risk of bias was low to unclear. The meta-analysis revealed associations of HS with APOs, including gestational diabetes mellitus [odds ratio (OR) 1.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-1.96], pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.01-1.38), caesarean section (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.04-1.64) and postpartum haemorrhage (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.07-1.82). Regarding adverse fetal outcomes, maternal HS was significantly associated with spontaneous abortion (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.06-1.34), preterm birth (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.04-1.31) and birth defects (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.03-2.11).
CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women with HS have an increased risk of APOs, underscoring the need for coordinated care between dermatologists and obstetricians, as well as early diagnosis and intervention to mitigate potential risks to maternal health and fetal development.