The influence of the menstrual cycle and pregnancy on atopic dermatitis.

The prevalence of a premenstrual deterioration in the symptoms of atopic dermatitis, as determined by a postal questionnaire completed by 150 women, was 33%. There was a significant association between a premenstrual worsening of atopic dermatitis and the presence of the symptoms of the premenstrual syndrome (P less than 0.002). Pregnancy had an adverse effect on atopic dermatitis in the majority of cases (52%), usually starting in the first 20 weeks of gestation, although an appreciable proportion of women (24%) had improved during their pregnancy.