Effect of Excessive Body Weight and Psoriasis in Women Undergoing ICSI Procedure and State of Health of the Newborn

Association of maternal psoriasis and small for gestational age or preterm birth: A nationwide matched cohort study in 69 080 singleton infants

BACKGROUND

Women with certain inflammatory diseases have increased risk of giving birth to infants who are small for gestational age (SGA) or preterm birth (PTB), with maternal disease activity being the most important risk factor. However, studies investigation psoriasis and SGA are scarce, and with conflicting results.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between maternal psoriasis and risk of SGA infants and PTB, respectively, overall and according to psoriasis severity.

METHODS

This was a nationwide register-based matched cohort study of women with psoriasis matched 1:10 to women without psoriasis on age at delivery, body mass index and smoking status and their first singleton infant born 2004-2017. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated in conditional logistic regression models adjusted for known risk factors.

RESULTS

From 516 063 deliveries, we identified 6282 women with psoriasis and 62 798 matched women without psoriasis. The risk of SGA and PTB was similar in women with psoriasis and the matched controls, adjusted OR 1.07 (95% CI, 0.98-1.17) and adjusted OR 1.05 (95% CI, 0.93-1.19), respectively. The risk of term SGA was increased in women with psoriasis compared to matched controls, adjusted OR 1.11 (95% CI, 1.01-1.22).

CONCLUSION

Maternal psoriasis was not associated with increased risk of SGA or PTB. Risk of term SGA was slightly increased in women with a history of psoriasis compared to matched controls, however these are likely to be constitutionally small with no increased risk of perinatal morbidity and mortality.

Effect of Excessive Body Weight and Emotional Disorders on the Course of Pregnancy and Well-Being of a Newborn before and during COVID-19 Pandemic

This study aimed to evaluate whether excessive body weight and the COVID-19 pandemic affect depression, and subsequently whether depression, excessive body weight, and the COVID-19 pandemic affect the course of pregnancy, as well as the well-being of a newborn. The research material included data retrieved from the medical records of 280 pregnant women who were provided with care by medical facilities in Lublin (100 women with normal weight, 100 overweight women, 50 with Class I and 30 with Class II obesity). They completed a Beck depression inventory (BDI) in pregnancy twice, in order to assess the risk of occurrence of postpartum depression. Pre-pregnancy BMI positively correlated with the severity of depression, both at 10–13 weeks of pregnancy (p < 0.001), and at 32 weeks of pregnancy (p < 0.001). The higher the pre-pregnancy BMI, on average the higher the severity of depression. The severity of depression was significantly higher during the pandemic than before it in women with normal body weight before pregnancy (p < 0.001), as well as in those overweight (p < 0.001) and with Class II obesity (p = 0.015). Excessive body weight before pregnancy leads to depressive disorders during pregnancy, increases the risk of preterm delivery, and exerts a negative effect on the state of a newborn. Depressive symptoms among pregnant, overweight and obese women intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic.