Fetal death following high-dose systemic steroid therapy in a pregnant patient with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease

BACKGROUND: In previous reports, all pregnant women with VKH were successfully treated in the second or third trimester with high-dose systemic corticosterioids without any severe complications. We present a case of fetal death during systemic steroid treatment of a VKH disease patient. RESULTS: A 28-year-old woman in the 30th week of pregnancy was diagnosed with VKH disease. Because of the progression to high bullous retinal detachment in spite of topical corticosteroid therapy, systemic intravenous prednisolone (PSL, 200 mg/day) was begun. On day 18 (PSL, 55 mg/day), sudden intrauterine fetal death occurred. Maternal conditions were normal and there was no apparent abnormality in the umbilical cord, placenta, or fetus; no autopsy was allowed. With gradual tapering of the PSL, the patient's vision was preserved, without recurrence of the VKH disease. CONCLUSIONS: We present a case of fetal death in a 28-year-old pregnant woman being treated with intravenous prednisolone for VKH disease. The cause of the fetal death was not clear. It was reported as an adverse event.