Infertility in women with pemphigus vulgaris and other autoimmune diseases.

BACKGROUND

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases may adversely affect reproductive function and could result in infertility.

OBJECTIVE

Our purpose was to describe nine young women with PV and infertility.

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed. Clinical characteristics, immunopathologic features, treatment, clinical course, and long-term follow-up were determined.

RESULTS

Eight of nine patients were unable to become pregnant. One patient became pregnant during a period of remission. In eight of the nine patients, the cause of infertility was ovarian. Anti-sperm antibodies were present in two of the patients.

CONCLUSION

Some patients with PV may have infertility. No definitive conclusion about the frequency of infertility in these patients or its relation to PV can be drawn. However, these observations indirectly demonstrate that there may be important interactions between the immune and hormonal systems.