Rare inflammatory and hereditary connective tissue diseases.

Polyarteritis nodosa developing during gestation has an extremely grave prognosis. To an uncertain extent, this results from a delay in recognition and therapy. The diagnosis of PAN is complicated by the expanded differential of common conditions associated with pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia and toxemia which can present with similar symptoms and signs. On the other hand, the pregnant woman with known, quiescent disease has a much better prognosis with only one of four women experiencing exacerbation. In women with Behcet's disease, convincing reports of both pregnancy-related flares and remissions involving primarily mucocutaneous manifestations are found in the literature. Gestational exacerbation of the more serious manifestations including chorioretinitis, vasculitis and CNS disease does not appear to be a problem. Also, a significant effect on fetal development or survival is not evident. The pregnant woman with the Marfan syndrome and pre-existing cardiovascular disease, particularly dilatation of the aortic root, has a substantially increased risk of developing a major complication during gestation most commonly aortic aneurysm, dissection, rupture or insufficiency. Echocardiographic determination of the aortic root diameter is prognostic with a decreased risk at a diameter of 40 mm or less. A diameter of greater than 40 to 45 mm constitutes a significant contraindication to pregnancy. All pregnancies in patients with the Marfan syndrome are considered high risk and frequent evaluations and echocardiograms are required. The EDS patient is subject to a wide range of gestational complications resulting from the basic connective tissue defect manifested clinically by hyperextensible skin, joint hypermobility, connective tissue and vascular fragility, and poor wound healing. The most serious complications occur in type I EDS (gravis) and type IV (ecchymotic) and include extensive perineal tears and hematoma after vaginal delivery, uterine prolapse and rupture, difficulty in suturing wounds and controlling hemorrhage after cesarean section, spontaneous rupture of major arteries, and bowel perforation. Management of the pregnant patient with the EDS must be individualized after identification of the particular type.