A new article published in the International Journal of Women’s Dermatology discussed that pemphigoid gestationis - also known as herpes gestationis - is a rare, pregnancy-associated, autoimmune bullous disease.

The authors reported that treatment for this condition depends on the severity of the disease and the safety and use of the pharmacological therapy during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It was stated that conventional immunosuppressive therapy may not elicit an adequate response in certain patients with pemphigoid gestationis, while adverse effects may limit the use of these therapies in a few patients. Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy has demonstrated clinical remission in a number of patients. This therapy can result in clinical improvement with disappearance of lesions along with reduction in pruritus and can lead to reduction in Bullous Pemphigoid Disease Activity Index activity scores, which is a validated scoring system to measure a related condition, bullous pemphigoid.