Skin fungal infections are extremely prevalent in the pregnant women. Tropical nations like India have higher rates of these illnesses because of environmental variables like humidity and heat. Among the risk factors are socioeconomic circumstances such as poverty, overcrowding, and inadequate personal cleanliness [1,2]. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 20–25% of pregnant women globally have superficial mycotic infections. Numerous investigations have been conducted worldwide to examine the frequency, risk factors, and management of various fungal infections of the skin. Dermatophytic and non-dermatophytic skin infections are the two categories. Also referred to as tinea, dermatophytic superficial fungal infections impact keratinized tissues. The superficial fungal diseases that are not dermatophytic include tinea versicolor, tinea nigra, and others [3-5]. Originally believed to be caused by parasites that resembled worms, the term tinea from Latin for worm or grub. These infections are frequently referred to by their place of involvement. Common skin conditions include tinea corporis, tinea cruris, tinea unguum, tinea capitis, tinea barbae, and tinea manuum. Tinea infections can be prevented by maintaining proper personal cleanliness, keeping the skin cool and dry at all times, and not sharing clothes, towels, or hair accessories. In order to identify the different patterns and characteristics linked to cutaneous fungal infections, this study was carried out since fungal infections have an impact on social and quality of life in pregnant women [6-8].

This study was conducted at Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Dermatology, Kamineni Institute of Medical Sciences, Narketpally, Telangana, India from April 2010 to March 2011. 110 Pregnant women attending OBG Department Presented with Dermatology lesions made up the study population. Over the course of the trial, 110 patients in all were examined.

Inclusion criteria:

Pregnant women with a clinical diagnosis of a fungal infection of the skin

Exclusion criteria:

Individuals who have not consented to the study. The hospital's ethical committee gave its approval for this study. After informing the patients about the trial, their written agreement was obtained. Using a pretested questionnaire, data was gathered. The information contains sociodemographic information such as age, sex, occupation, and socioeconomic status, as well as information about hygiene practices such as the number of family members, the number of rooms shared per capita, the sources of water, the use of soap, and the wiping of body parts. Every patient who came in had a clinical examination. Every pregnant women who was found to have a cutaneous fungal infection was forwarded for microbiological testing. Appropriate statistical tests were used to analyze the data.

Table 1: Pregnant women allocation based on the involvement site

Table 2: Pregnant women distribution based on the length of the current illness

Table 3: Pregnant women are distributed based on their personal hygiene habits.

The most prevalent infection was tinea corporis (54%), followed by pityriasis versicolor (18%). Tinea capitis was observed in 10% of individuals. The average age of the pregnant women was 28.31 ± 2.3 years. Kar et al. and Belurkar et al [8,9]. observed analogous results, identifying tinea corporis as the predominant infection among all fungal infections. A research in Bijapur revealed that tinea corporis (35.4%) was the most prevalent clinical disease, followed by tinea cruris (16.8%) and tinea capitis (16.7%). The most often affected place was the trunk (52%), followed by the palm/plantar surface (15%). The majority of pregnant women experienced a length of sickness ranging from 1 to 6 months (30%). In our investigation, we discovered that 68% of patients reported a history of prior infection, whereas 32% had no such history. Of the total 110 patients, 20% had family members impacted by the same virus[9,10]. The frequency of the virus spread by contact is higher among family members. Comparable outcomes were observed in the study conducted by Krishnendu Das et al. Factors frequently associated with fungal infections include individuals aged 21-30 years, unskilled laborers and homemakers, those from a moderate socioeconomic status, and inadequate hygiene practices. Similarly, Krishenendu Das et al. identified that the middle-aged demographic, those from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds, occupations associated with water, and inadequate hygienic conditions were prevalent risk factors [11,12]. 

The study states the importance of understanding the demographic, socioeconomic, and hygiene-related factors associated with dermal fungal infections to develop effective prevention and treatment strategies in pregnant women.

Funding support: Nil

Conflict of interest: None

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