Obstetric and neonatal outcomes in pregnancies with familial mediterranean fever: a comparative study

Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is frequently diagnosed during reproductive ages, but its impact on pregnancy remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate maternal and neonatal outcomes in FMF pregnancies by comparing before and after diagnosis periods as well as with healthy controls, and to identify predictors of adverse outcomes. This retrospective, cross-sectional study included 215 pregnancies (129 before and 86 after FMF diagnosis) from 81 women with FMF and 94 pregnancies from 42 healthy controls. Demographic data, disease characteristics, medications, and genetic mutations were recorded. Maternal and neonatal outcomes were compared, and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors of adverse maternal outcomes. After FMF diagnosis, live birth occurred in 69 cases (80.2%), miscarriage in 15 (17.4%), and stillbirth in 2 (2.3%). In contrast, before diagnosis, live birth occurred in 104 cases (80.6%), miscarriage in 17 (13.4%), and stillbirth in 7 (5.4%). Among pregnancies after diagnosis, cesarean section was more frequent (38 cases, 53.5% vs. 29 cases, 25.9%, p < 0.001), as well as adverse maternal outcomes (58 cases, 67.4% vs. 63 cases, 48.8%, p = 0.007), compared to before diagnosis. Compared with controls, FMF patients showed no significant differences in maternal or neonatal outcomes. Among 86 pregnancies after diagnosis, colchicine was used in 66 (76.7%), and FMF flares were reported in 22 cases (31.9%) among pregnancies resulting in live birth, most commonly during the second trimester. Logistic regression identified older maternal age (OR 1.12, 95% CI: 1.02-1.25, p = 0.02) and disease flares before pregnancy (OR 6.96, 95% CI: 1.40-34.58, p = 0.02) as independent predictors of adverse maternal outcomes. Maternal and neonatal outcomes in FMF pregnancies were comparable to those in controls. Advanced maternal age and disease activity before conception were identified as independent predictors of adverse maternal outcomes.