Relapsing polychondritis in pregnancy

A 25-year-old patient presented at 14 weeks of her 3rd pregnancy with chondritis affecting the cartilaginous portion of her right ear. The clinical syndrome of recurrent chondritis, scleritis, iritis and arthritis supported a diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis. Fetal and maternal outcomes were favorable despite steroid dependent active disease during the period of fetal organogenesis. Chondritis was limited to the 3rd pregnancy, ocular inflammation occurring in the 2nd and 3rd pregnancies. A 4th pregnancy was uneventful. This may represent the first case of relapsing polychondritis in pregnancy.