Publication:

Pemphigus vulgaris in pregnancy with transient neonatal pemphigus - can psychological stress be culprit?

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a rare life threatening, autoimmune bullous disease affecting mucous membrane and skin. Pregnancy and emotional stress may be the possible triggering factors for PV. It is a very rare phenomenon with less than 27 cases of pregnancy induced PV and only 9 cases of neonatal pemphigus reported in literature. The lesions may appear transient in neonate which resolve spontaneously over 2-3 weeks. We hereby, report a case of 26-year-old female who developed PV in second trimester of pregnancy with peripartum depression, which was managed by intravenous, oral and topical steroids and selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Furthermore, the development of transient neonatal pemphigus raises the possibility of genetic linkage from maternal to fetal transmission.