Am J Clin Dermatol 2006; 7 (1): 65-69 REVIEW ARTICLE 1175-0561/06/0001-0065/$39.95/0 © 2006 Adis Data Information BV. All rights reserved. Blood Vessel Changes during Pregnancy A Review Fr´ ed´ erique Henry, 1 Pascale Quatresooz, 1 Jenny C. Valverde-Lopez 1,2 and G´ erald E. Pi´ erard 1 1 Department of Dermatopathology, University Hospital Sart-Tilman, Li` ege, Belgium 2 Department of Dermatology, Hospital Regional Docente, Trujillo, Peru Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................ 65 1. Background ......................................................................................................... 65 2. Cutaneous Microvasculature .......................................................................................... 66 3. Vascular Lesions of the Skin during Pregnancy .......................................................................... 66 3.1 Normal-Looking Skin .............................................................................................. 66 3.2 Palmar Erythema ................................................................................................ 67 3.3 Telangiectasia ................................................................................................... 68 3.4 Hemangiomas and Glomus Tumors ................................................................................ 68 3.5 Edema ......................................................................................................... 68 4. Venous Hypertension during Pregnancy ................................................................................ 68 5. Vascular Lesions of the Mucosae during Pregnancy ..................................................................... 68 6. Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 68 The profound endocrine upheaval of pregnancy is frequently associated with changes in the function and Abstract structure of the blood and lymph microvasculature of the skin and mucosae. Palmar erythema is frequent but rarely severe and is associated with burning sensations. Spider telangiectasias develop in the majority of pregnant White women but are less often identified in women with darker skin. Hemangiomas and glomus tumors occur in one-third of women. A firm edema may develop on the face and extremities in the final months of pregnancy. Venous hypertension and varicosities of the lower limbs are common. Gingivitis, gum hypertro- phy, and pyogenic granuloma are common in the oral cavity. The vaginal mucosa is also affected, showing a violaceous aspect, at times accompanied by varicosities of the vulva. Many gestational vascular changes regress spontaneously in the postpartum phase. Some vascular tumors may need to be treated with a vascular laser or intense pulsed light. 1. Background also influenced by intrinsic cutaneous changes, such as increased mechanical tension (e.g. striae gravidarum). [7,8] A number of physiological skin changes occur during pregnan- Many of the cutaneous changes associated with pregnancy are cy. [1-6] These may arise as a result of increased activity of the so constantly present as to be often regarded as abnormal only pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands or from the production of when they are excessive in extent. Other changes specifically hormones and other proteins by the feto-placental unit. The precise related to pregnancy occur so infrequently that they must be impact of these bioactive molecules on the skin is not fully considered pathologic. Circumstantial evidence indicates that understood. A number of pregnancy-related skin alterations are pregnancy influences the microvascular system. However, there is