Why should vitiligo be treated during pregnancy and lactation?
What should be the treatment approach and follow-up during pregnancy?
What should be the treatment and follow-up approach in breastfeeding?
What are the risks for the mother?
What are the risks to the baby?
Are there any side effects of treatment?
Vitiligo, which develops as a result of the immune system’s self-attack and progresses with the loss of skin pigments, has produced different theorems for many years, but its cause has not been understood and its treatment has remained very limited for this reason. The findings obtained in the researches made in recent years have led to different and very positive results in the treatment of this old and sad disease.
Vitiligo has been seen as only a skin disease for years and its treatment has been done accordingly. Performing localized treatments by focusing only on the skin, using creams and applying radiation therapies have been temporary solutions in the treatment of the disease, but the disease has definitely recurred and even increased. However, in recent years, the true extent of the disease has emerged, and it has been proven by medical authorities that it is an autoimmune disease, that is, a disease based on the immune system.
Therefore, Ala (whitening) disease is more important in pregnant women and lactating mothers. Because it is known that autoimmune diseases can attack after birth or pregnancy. If we look at the mothers with vitiligo, they experienced a rapid increase in their vitiligo during each postpartum breastfeeding period. Even miscarriages can trigger this.
We see that vitiligo becomes more tame during pregnancy. However, it is very important to prepare and strengthen the mother with vitiligo for the postpartum period, and to protect the baby in the womb from vitiligo and other potential diseases. The more we prepare for this, the more we protect the baby, especially in the mother who has passed the breastfeeding period.
What do we do if we take the mother with vitiligo to immunotherapy during the preparation period for pregnancy?
Of course, the most ideal is to take both mother and father into treatment while planning pregnancy. This is the best for preventive medicine. The situation does not change if the mother or father has vitiligo. Both need to be prepared for pregnancy. For this, preliminary tests should be done. Risk factors should be determined. For the results of these, personalized treatment and repair programs provide everything necessary for the healthy development of sperm, the healthy formation of ovulation and the healthy growth of the embryo, that is, the baby.
Well, we couldn’t achieve that ideal, the person got pregnant and came… Then what do we do?
VITILIO IMMUNOTHERAPY IN PREGNANCY
We have a treatment approach that varies according to the gestational week in pregnant women. In terms of side effects, medical killer treatment of intestinal fungus or helicobacter pylori in pregnant women is not given. Instead, controllable treatments are chosen so that both immunity is corrected and risk factors are controlled. Because we know that the mother who goes to the breastfeeding period will definitely have an attack in vitiligo. This too is blocked. All these are serious profits.
Correction of all vitamin and mineral stores of the mother during pregnancy is very important for the development of both the mother and the baby. The fact that pregnancy does not end in miscarriage is also the success of immunotherapy. Because it is known that individuals with vitiligo have high ANA positivity and low risk.
In the follow-up, especially thyroid functions, sleep status of the pregnant, body temperature nutrition, edema status are very important. In fact, whether many personal complaints improve or not is followed up in the patient who received immunotherapy during pregnancy.
VITILIO IMMUNOTHERAPY IN BREASTFEEDING
If the mother’s treatment was started during breastfeeding, no treatment other than vitamin and probiotic supplementation is applied. This can be beneficial for both the baby and the mother. Because the mother has a constantly giving structure and empty stores. This leads to attacks in vitiligo. The way to prevent this is through repair. Monthly follow-up is very important in this period. Thyroid autoantibodies become positive and postpartum thyroiditis attacks may develop from the first month onwards. However, there is an increase in other autoimmune diseases and vitiligo. Therefore, close follow-up and good treatment are very important during these periods. It should never be left unattended. It is very important for the health of the mother and the health of the baby. The biggest mistake made today is to leave the mother and baby unfollowed and untreated during these periods.
ARE THERE ANY CONSEQUENCES TO THE TREATMENT?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding immunotherapy does not have any known side effects because treatments that may cause adverse effects are avoided especially during this period.
