Systematic review and meta-analysis links pregnancy to higher risk of central serous chorioretinopathy

PURPOSE: Pregnancy induces significant changes in the body, including increased peripheral and choroidal blood perfusion and an increased systemic corticosteroid level. Here, we systematically reviewed the evidence on pregnancy as a risk factor for developing central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and conducted a meta-analysis to obtain a summary estimate. METHODS: We searched 12 literature databases on 16 February 2025 for epidemiological studies, which evaluated the potential association between pregnancy and CSC. All eligible studies were included for a qualitative review and a meta-analysis. The meta-analysis was made using the random-effects model on the odds ratio (OR) of the association between pregnancy and CSC. RESULTS: Four studies were eligible for our review. Of the 2766 individuals (1345 patients with CSC, 1391 controls) in these studies, females constituted 26%-64% of study populations in individual studies. The calculated summary estimate of pregnancy as a risk factor for CSC was OR 5.51 (95% CI: 2.12-14.30, p = 0.00046). Heterogeneity statistics suggested minimal to no heterogeneity (Cochran's Q = 0.72; I = 0%), the funnel plot was symmetrical and the sensitivity analysis suggested robustness of the estimates. CONCLUSION: Pregnancy appears to be a significant risk factor for CSC.