[French register of lupus in pregnancy: the evaluation. Groupe d'étude sur la grossesse lupique].

A register of systemic lupus erythematosus has been open between 1st January 1987 and 31 December 1992 in France. One hundred and seventeen cases of pregnancy from more than 40 centers origin have been prospectively collected. One hundred and three were analyzed. Pregnancy outcome was as following: full term birth (n = 28), premature birth (n = 48), fetal wastage (n = 18 i.e. 13 early spontaneous abortions, two late spontaneous abortions and three stillbirths), therapeutic abortion (n = 5), elective abortion for unwanted pregnancy (n = 4). Four preterm babies died in neo-natal period. Lupus activity was present at pregnancy diagnosis in 28 cases (27%). Of 75 patients with inactive lupus at pregnancy beginning, 27 relapsed during pregnancy and seven in post-partum period. Two patients with nephrotic syndrome died of opportunistic infection. Fetal prognosis is mostly related to proteinuria and absence of anti-SSA antibodies. History of fetal losses, lupus activity at pregnancy beginning, hypertension, use of 20 mg/d or more prednisone dosage during pregnancy influence prematurity. The fetal hypotrophy factors are short duration of pregnancy, lupus activity at beginning of pregnancy, low serum levels of C3 or C4, hypertension, absence of anti-SSA antibodies. Three out of 22 newborns from mother with anti-SSA antibodies developed neonatal lupus: two with cutaneous lupus and one with complete congenital auriculo-ventricular block.