Lupus (also called SLE) is a multi-system autoimmune disease which affects women of child bearing age group. Research in the US and other western countries had shown that lupus can affect a patient and her baby particularly during pregnancy. However it was not know whether the same occurred in Indian patients. A first of it’s kind collaborative effort was undertaken under the intitative of Dr Vineeta Shobha. Data was collected by Dr Ramya in collaboration with rheumatologists from different parts of Karnataka (i.e. Dr Vikram Haridas, Dr Yogesh Singh, Dr Vijay K Rao, Dr Ramesh Jois,Dr Chandrashekara Srikantiah,)

Information was collected about 108 pregnancies in 76 lupus patients. 66 times our 108 there was some problem that occured which harmed the baby. That is in more than half of the pregnancies the baby (called fetus before it is born) was affected. The doctors tried to see if they could predict which are the patients who would have problems during pregnancy. It was seen that patients whose lupus was active when they became pregnant, those who became pregnant shortly after they were diagnosed and those who had severe lupus which needed them to be on moderate to high dosage of steroids were significantly associated with adverse outcome in fetus.The mother was also not spared during the pregnancy and many patients had complications such as high BP or other complications leading to cesarean section.

Thus lupus patients and OBG doctors need to be aware of the special care that lupus patients need not only during but also before pregnancy. It is very important to involve a rheumatologist in the care of these patients during their pregnancy