[Scleroderma and pregnancy. New case and review of the literature].

A new case of the rare association of scleroderma and pregnancy is reported. The pregnancy was complicated by renal failure in the last month of gestation which was initially well controlled by anti-hypertensive therapy but then suddenly progressed to pre eclampsia with signs of foetal distress necessitating emergency caesarian section. A moderately hypotrophic child was delivered. The mother progressively recovered; diuresis and blood pressure returned to normal and the proteinuria disappeared. In the light of previously reported cases and of recent advances in our knowledge of scleroderma, especially scleroderma renal disease, the authors discuss their attitude to the management of women with scleroderma wishing to become pregnant. They review the role and place of renal biopsy in the detection of subclinical renal lesions due to the scleroderma, the presence of which would be a decisive factor in assessing the risks of pregnancy. Scleroderma renal disease is, in fact, a major contraindication to pregnancy because of the very poor foetal prognosis and the risk of maternal death due to a lethal progression of renal failure.