Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Nationwide Temporal Trends in Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Treatments in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Pregnancy Over Two Decades in Sweden
Authors' conclusion
APOs in SLE pregnancies have decreased over the past two decades, potentially reflecting improved treatment strategies, particularly increased use of antimalarials and low-dose aspirin.
Study context
- Population
- Pregnancies in Sweden with delivery dates 2003 to 2022
- Participants
- 1,417 vs 14,133
- Exposure
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pregnancies vs matched non-SLE pregnancies from the general population
- SLEn = 1,417
- Non-SLEn = 14,133reference
- Outcome
- Temporal trends (mean annual absolute change, pp) in preeclampsia, preterm delivery and SGA birth
- Follow-up
- 2003 to 2022
Methodological detailsnationwide registers, matched on maternal age, delivery year and parity, binomial generalized linear models with identity link
- Nationwide registers
- Matched on maternal age, delivery year and parity
- Binomial generalized linear models with identity link
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
APOs in SLE pregnancies, 2003-2004 to 2021-2022
- Overall SLE preeclampsia (2003-2022)
- 9.1%
- Overall SLE preterm delivery (2003-2022)
- 14.7%
- Overall SLE small for gestational age (SGA) births (2003-2022)
- 6.9%
- SLE preeclampsia, 14.1% to 9.6%
- −0.11 pp/y
- SLE preterm delivery, 25.9% to 11.2%
- −0.63 pp/y
- SLE SGA birth, 10.6% to 7.0%
- −0.22 pp/y
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
APO declines by parity (SLE)
- Declines more pronounced in nulliparous vs parous SLE pregnancies
Adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) in SLE pregnancies with APS
- APOs modestly decreased over time
Treatment use during SLE pregnancy, 2007-2008 to 2021-2022
Pp/y
- Antimalarial use, 23.9% to 76.5%
- +3.3
- Low-dose aspirin use, 39.8% to 85.6%
- +3.7
- GC use, 43.2% to 40.1%
- −0.7
Original publication
Nationwide Temporal Trends in Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Treatments in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Pregnancy Over Two Decades in Sweden. Arthritis Rheumatol. Published 19 February 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →