[Contraception and pregnancy in hereditary angioedema]

The frequent first clinical manifestation of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in pubertal patients and the more frequent attacks of edema during menstruation indicate that the condition is affected by hormones. Medication with oral contraceptives containing estrogens can lead to severe attacks of edema. On the other hand, HAE mostly shows a favorable development in pregnancy. Despite the substantial trauma of delivery, complications are rare. In view of the literature report of a death and our own observation of potentially dangerous edema in the postpartal phase in one patient, it appears to us to be advisable to administer 500 units C1 inactivator prophylactically before the expulsive phase of birth in HAE patients. Oral contraceptives should not be administered.