A Cross-Sectional Study of Cutaneous Changes During Pregnancy in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Northern India

The study conducted among 400 pregnant women in Northern India found that skin changes during pregnancy were common, with pigmentary changes being the most prevalent, observed in 90.8% of participants. Secondary areola and linea nigra were the most frequent pigmentary changes. Vascular changes occurred in 13% of women, with non-pitting pedal edema being the most common. Connective tissue changes were noted in 62.25% of participants, primarily striae gravidarum. Specific dermatoses included atopic eruption of pregnancy (4.25%) and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. Fungal infections were the most common, affecting 11.2% of the women. The study concluded that proper attention is needed to manage and treat the diverse dermatological manifestations during pregnancy.