Pregnancy outcome in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome. a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE

To study the outcome of pregnancy in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS).

METHODS

A questionnaire covering demographic data and the outcome of pregnancies was answered by 58 patients with pSS and 157 controls. For 36 patients and 93 controls, we analyzed detailed data about pregnancy, birth, and status of the newborn from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MFR) for birth order one, 2, and 3. Thirty-two of 36 patients registered in MFR were diagnosed with pSS after the last birth.

RESULTS

Pregnancy outcomes were not different in patients compared to controls. Two patients (3.4%) reported giving birth to a child with congenital heart block.

CONCLUSION

PSS had no impact on pregnancy outcome before disease onset. The most important condition associated with pSS in anti-SSA positive mothers was congenital heart block in the offspring.