| By Dr. Ashley Biscoe | Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance, Women’s Health
Many women experience their first HS lesions during pregnancy or right after delivery. Also, some women experience a worsening of HS around these times. Watch to find out why this may be and learn safe ways of managing HS if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant.
Hi,
I have HS and I have plan to be pregnant. What should I consider? previously I’ve used Tetracyclin and Clindomycin for the treatment, didn’t work. So I tried injection and it worked but then after 6 months it started again. Can I take injection during pregnancy?
Best Regards,
Azita
Yes – it is considered safe to take biologic injections during pregnancy, as long as your doctor approves. We have patients who have used them during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Best of luck to you! 🙂
Do the inflammations decrease if you stop breastfeeding?
can you get pregnant if you have hs?
Hi, Ashley –
Yes; women with HS can still get pregnant and deliver healthy babies! Just know that women with HS are more likely to have thyroid issues or polycystic ovary syndrome, and those conditions can make it harder to get pregnant. It’s always a good idea to have a thorough lab workup for blood sugar, insulin, thyroid markers, and sex hormones. ~Dr. B
Can hs cause inferlity & early onset of menopause, I’ll be 39 soon & would like to try for a baby soon.
Hi, Fiona –
HS doesn’t cause infertility or early menopause directly, but women with HS are more likely to have thyroid issues or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Both of these conditions can impact fertility. What these conditions have in common with HS is that they’re rooted in inflammation (and very commonly insulin resistance, too). Be sure to join our Help for HS newsletter if you haven’t done so already, because we take you step-by-step through all of the important changes that you can make to restore your health! https://bit.ly/3aidPpg
Hello I am 29 years old I am currently 8 weeks pregnant and have been dealing with HS since I was 21 .i have been considered by my obgyn as a high risk pregnancy . I have noticed that being pregnant has made it harder for my flare ups to calm down..i want to thank u for this very informative video as I learned alot today from it ..
Thank you for sharing your experience, Kimberly. Yes — some women experience improvements during pregnancy, while others may experience HS for the very first time or flare badly. I’m so glad that you found this video helpful. Best of luck to you, and I’m sending you wishes for a healthy baby (and a healthy YOU!).
Can you get fmla with this disease ? My doctor told me my prolactin levels are high and could have a tumor in my brain because of this. I was misdiagnosed and never knew what I had for 10 years! And now this ….
Hi, Genesis –
I’m sorry to hear that you struggled for so long without getting answers. FMLA covers many things, and it really depends on your company’s policies. Companies with fewer than 50 employees do not participate with FMLA. However, if your condition prevents you from working altogether, you may be eligible for disability benefits through the Social Security Administration. I wish for your complete healing and recovery. <3
I have HS in left buttocks a fistula leaking yellow discharge and blood constantly. I have had three excision surgeries of area but keeps coming back. It is 2cm away from rectum in perineum area. Can this HS lesion cause a miscarriage or infection in the womb?.Can it reach the baby & is all yellow discharge infectious?
Hi, Shelly –
I am so sorry that you’re having to deal with something so painful! In general, yes – fistulas can become very serious if infectious material spreads to other parts of the body. Sometimes infections can become systemic. Yellow discharge may or may not be a sign of infection. If it’s a milky yellow, that speaks more to an infection. I urge you to consult with your physician for the best course of action; please don’t delay! I’m sending lots of positive thoughts your way.❤️
Hi,
I am 36, had HS for 5 yrs now. Started on one side of my groin and slowly spread all the way to the other. I just delivered my baby, and HS got worse (new flare ups and tunnels) all over my private area and armpit during pregnancy. Things got even worse since 2 weeks postpartum.
Im nursing my baby.
My ob-gyn put me on clindamycin for 3 months. But, this antibiotic never got any impact on HS flare ups for me.
Any suggestions?
Im really struggling with pain and depression as Im not even able to care for my baby as I want to.
Thank you.
I’m so sorry, Arthi! I can only imagine how painful this is for you – both physically and emotionally. Since you’re nursing you have to be very careful with what goes into your body and on your skin, but perhaps you could consult with your doctor about following a nutrient-rich, anti-inflammatory diet. We have many great recipes in our Nourish eCookbook. Also, you could ask your doctor about using topical Manuka honey (MANUKApli). We’ve seen incredible results with it, and it’s quite safe and gentle for most people. I hope you feel better soon! <3
Thanks for your response.
I have one big question in my head – roughly how long does it take for HS to start improving postpartum?
Hi there, it’s hard to express how helpful your videos are, i felt so alone when diagnosed with this condition. I had my first flare up two weeks after delivering my first baby and we are currently trying for our second.
I have recently followed a low carb, no sugar, high protein diet with fasting, lost two stone and returned to my healthy weight. I am very curious about what you say about vinegar being bad and fermented food. Can you tell me a bit more about that? I understand about spirit vinegar being sugary and to be avoided but would cider vinegar, which is meant to help with blood sugar levels, be considered bad? I have been working on the basis that fermented food will help to guy microbiome. Thanks so much.
Hi, Carley!
Thank you for commenting. We’re so glad to know that these videos have helped you.❤️
Regarding vinegar, fermented foods, etc., it’s not that these foods are inherently “bad.” Rather, these foods are known to contain yeast or yeast byproducts, and it’s been shown that people with HS may universally have yeast sensitivities.
Dr. Egeland recently discussed this topic in detail on the 2022 HS Summit. You can check it out here on our Help for HS YouTube channel.
Also, if you join our Help for HS newsletter, you’ll get a free copy of our yeast guide right when you sign up.
Congratulations on having your first baby and your soon-to-be second! I pray that you have a healthy conception, pregnancy and delivery, and that you continue to heal and flourish.
~Dr. B
Hello, first I would like to thank you and Dr. Egeland for the work that you do. I hope some day I can do something similar. My fiancee has been dealing with HS since adolescence. She is now 31 and at stage III, she recently started eating healthier but this has not helped. She takes humira biologic to help with HS but she also has Sjogrens syndrome so her immune system is very weak. Since I began researching and learned HS is caused by to much insulin + androgens I was able to convince her to come off of her high-androgen birth control implant. I was wondering if there are any ways to make this transition easier as her hormones are all over the place. I was looking into a natural progesterone cream to help restore balance and kickstart progesterone production as well as inositol + holy basil tea for cleaning the body of excess androgens. I have also been making homemade raw unpasteurized goat kefir to help restore microbiome. (she has a history of poor diet + overuse of antibiotics). However she has recently developed Psoriasis on her face + groin and I’m sure that this is due to leady gut but it doesn’t seem to be getting better. Do you have any insight into dealing with this combination of issues. I’m saving up money to take her to a functional clinic to get bloodwork done as I am at a loss. Thank you in advance and any help would be greatly appreciated. I hope you all have a wonderful day.
Hi, Jacob –
Thank you for those words of appreciation. It means so much for us to know that our work has helped you! I am truly sorry to hear about how your fiance is suffering. I am glad she decided to discontinue the high-androgen birth control. That can be a major trigger for HS, and I even wrote a blog post on that topic last year. One of our favorite tools for supporting healthy, balanced hormones is our FemGlow formula.
The probiotics in kefir could be supportive of gut health, but we typically advise avoiding all dairy for HS. This is because mammalian milk contains naturally-occurring growth factors that can raise insulin and act on the hair follicle, which exacerbates HS. And with a history of poor diet and antibiotic use, I’d be highly suspicious of yeast (Candida) overgrowth, which we have found to contribute to both HS and psoriasis.
In our Body Bliss program, we cover hormones, leaky gut, HS, Candida, and MORE — and we’ve had several participants with HS (even stage 3) participate and get into remission. In this program she would also be able to order a functional lab test to see if she has fungal issues and other imbalances, and she can book a complimentary private call with a doctor. If this sounds like something she’d be interested in, you can learn more about that program here. I truly think she’d be a great fit for it. You can see the incredible testimonial from one of our participants here.
Hope you have a wonderful day, too! God bless you.