WEDNESDAY, Sept. 3, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- A holistic approach is needed for treatment of rosacea during pregnancy due to emotional distress experienced by patients and possible physical harm to their babies, according to a review published in the July issue of SKIN.

Emily Garelick, from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and colleagues conducted a systematic review to examine rosacea treatment during pregnancy. Twenty studies with 230 patients who presented with rosacea fulminans or rosacea-associated edema were included in the review.

The researchers found that antibiotics, steroids, topical antiseptic, wet compresses, and osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) were included as treatment options. Complications among pregnant patients included ocular perforation, corneal transplant, fetal arrhythmia, oligohydramnios, and intrauterine death. Due to rosacea-related anxiety and depression, some patients elected for termination of pregnancy.

"This systematic review supports the use of a multifaceted treatment approach, combining pregnancy-safe medications with holistic strategies such as OMT," the authors write. "While many pharmaceutical agents offer therapeutic benefits, the potential for fetal risk requires caution."

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