Maternal Psoriasis – Pregnancy Outcomes and Long-term Infectious Morbidity of the Offspring: A Population-based Study

Background: Limited data exists regarding long-term morbidity of the offspring in women with psoriasis. The objective of this study was to assess long-term infectious morbidity of the offspring born to women with psoriasis. Study Design: We conducted a population-based cohort study comparing the long-term infectious-related morbidity of offspring (up to the age of 18) born to mothers with and without psoriasis, between the years 1991-2021 in a regional tertiary medical center. A Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to assess cumulative incidence of infectious-related morbidity of the offspring and a Cox regression model was performed to control for possible confounders. Results: During the study period 356,356 deliveries met the inclusion criteria, of which 240 (0.07%) occurred in women with psoriasis. Children born to mothers with psoriasis had higher rates of ear-nose-throat (ENT) and respiratory infections, and the total infectious-related hospitalization rate was also higher for this group. The cumulative incidence of long-term infectious morbidity was higher among offspring born to women with psoriasis (Log-rank, p=0.050). The Cox regression model, controlling for birthweight, found that fetal exposure to maternal psoriasis was independently associated with long-term infectious morbidity of the offspring (adjusted HR=1.26, 95% CI 1.01-1.58; p=0.049). Conclusion: Being born to mothers with psoriasis is an independent risk factor for long-term infectious morbidity of the offspring.