Is psoriasis hereditary?

Avoid substances that you know you are sensitive to during pregnancy

Your questions answered by Sharon Trotter of Greatvine.com

I suffer from psoriasis and am worried that my condition could be passed to my baby. Is it hereditary?

Psoriasis, like other chronic skin conditions, has many triggers. These include:

Stress
Injury
Allergies
Diet
Medications
Household or personal care products
Weather conditions.

The underlying cause is unknown but it is thought there is a genetic predisposition, which makes the immune system react by growing skin cells quicker than normal. This results in the characteristic psoriasis lesions, which contain piles of dead skin cells, which can look silvery and scaly.

Pregnancy advice

The best advice for a pregnant woman who wants to help prevent passing on skin conditions to her baby is to take good care of herself, avoid undue stress, eat a well balanced diet and follow these common-sense guidelines:

Eat fresh foods containing as few additives and preservatives as possible
Use household and personal care products with care: detergent residues can be absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin and personal care products can pose a risk to her unborn child
Wear rubber gloves when using harsh household products
Choose products free from petrochemicals, parabens, phthalates, sulphates (SLS, SLES), alcohol and strong perfumes
Avoid substances that you know you are sensitive to during pregnancy and while breastfeeding (this could be nuts or dairy products, if you are allergic to these products)

General advice for avoiding allergies:

Everything a pregnant woman eats drinks or uses on her skin can affect the foetus, but not necessarily in a bad way. The above advice will help the unborn baby prepare for the normal background environment they will encounter when they are born.

Breastfeeding should also be positively encouraged. The development of the immune system is closely related to the way a baby or child reacts to foreign agents and their subsequent risk of allergic disease. This begins before birth but it is especially advantageous for infants to be offered the protective factors transferred by breast milk for at least the first six months of life, as recommended by the World Health Organisation and the Department of Health.

The undisputed emotional, physical, psychological and social advantages of breastfeeding are well researched and documented. In the absence of breastfeeding, or where it is limited, the risk of early sensitisation inevitably increases for babies. If allergies do develop, continued breastfeeding will confer immunological strength to minimise the ill effects of allergic disease (in whatever form this may present itself).

Sharon Trotter

Sharon Trotter is a Registered Midwife with over 24 years of professional experience. Friendly and approachable, Sharon specialises in breastfeeding and baby skincare. Her work on baby skincare has helped to change NHS policy within maternity units nationwide and her book 'Breastfeeding: the essential guide' is a top-10 best seller. A mother of five, Sharon is looking forward to helping you. For individual advice from Sharon, by phone, book a private call at www.greatvine.com/sharon_trotter. For more information go to www.tipslimited.com.