Transverse myelitis occurring during pregnancy in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Myelopathy is a well recognised but infrequent neurological manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The case of a 27 year old woman with SLE of seven years' duration who developed a spastic paraparesis during her second pregnancy is reported. Magnetic resonance imaging did not show any intrinsic abnormality of the spinal cord. Anticardiolipin antibody was weakly positive and C4 was low. The patient responded dramatically to steroids.