THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN WITH PSORIASIS

Abstract

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated disease that can significantly impact the physical and mental health of patients, especially during pregnancy. The therapeutic management of psoriasis in pregnant women requires special considerations, due to the potential risks to the fetus and the altered therapeutic needs of pregnant women. This systematic review aimed to critically analyze the available evidence on the management of psoriasis in pregnant women. A literature review was performed in the main medical databases using the descriptors “psoriasis” and “pregnancy”, using the Boolean operator “AND”. All articles published between 2015-2025 were included in the primary analysis. The treatment of psoriasis in pregnancy should prioritize topical therapies and phototherapy, which are well tolerated and present low fetal risk. In more severe cases, systemic treatments, such as topical corticosteroids and narrowband UVB radiation, can be used safely. For systemic cases, Certolizumab pegol (CZP) is one of the safest options, due to minimal placental transfer and low risk to the fetus. However, the use of drugs such as cyclosporine, psoralen plus UVA (PUVA), and calcineurin inhibitors should be avoided or carefully monitored due to potential teratogenic risks or other adverse effects.Therefore, despite the available evidence, there is still a need for more prospective studies to better understand the impacts of therapies on pregnant women with psoriasis and to improve recommendations for the safe treatment of this condition during pregnancy.