The cutaneous polymorphic eruption of pregnancy (PEP) is presented by skin lesions usually in the third trimester of gestation and about 13% of women also suffer from perinatal depression.

To determine the frequency of pruritic urticarial papules of gestation with and without perinatal depression.

To assess the maternal causes for polymorphic eruption of pregnancy (PEP) in patients with and without perinatal depression.

Cases and controls were matched on the grounds of maternal weight gain in gestation, hormonal changes, deficit in iron and zinc, dysregulation of hypothalamic pituitary axis, pre-maturity, pre-eclampsia, pre-term labour. Univariate and multivariate analysis, adjusting for important demographic factors and comorbodities was conducted to assess the relationship of PEP with and without perinatal depression in reduced and full models of ANOVA in regression analysis. (Reduced model Y = β0 + β1X1 + … and the full model Y = β0 + β1X1 + β2X2 + β3X3 + β4X4 + β5X5 + β6X6 + …)

Polymorphic eruption of pregnancy with perinatal depression was statistically significant in maternal weight gain in gestation [odds ratio (OR) 1.20; 95% (CI): 1.15–1.30], hormonal changes [(OR) 2.78; 95% (CI): 2.52–2.82], deficit in iron and zinc [(OR) 2.18; 95% (CI): 2.04–2.38], dysregulation of hypothalamic pituitary axis [(OR) 1.37; 95% (CI): 1.18–1.49] and was not statistically significant in pre-maturity, pre-eclampsia and pre-term labour in cases and controls.

Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of gestation are commonly associated in patients with perinatal derpession.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.