Pregnancy is a time of major change for a woman's body. But new analysis shows it might also raise the risk of a specific eye condition called central serous chorioretinopathy. This problem involves fluid leaking under the retina and can blur vision. A team looked at data from many studies to see if being pregnant changes these odds. They found that pregnant people were much more likely to develop this condition than those who were not pregnant. The numbers showed a risk increase of more than five times. This finding comes from looking at over two thousand seven hundred individuals in total. The group included one thousand three hundred forty-five patients with the eye issue and one thousand three hundred ninety-one controls. The statistical confidence in this result was very high. The study did not report any safety issues or side effects because it looked at disease rates rather than drug effects. While this is a strong signal, it is based on existing data from different places. Understanding this link helps doctors talk to pregnant patients about eye health before problems start. It also reminds us that pregnancy brings unique risks beyond the usual physical changes.
Systematic review and meta-analysis links pregnancy to higher risk of central serous chorioretinopathyPregnancy increases risk of central serous chorioretinopathy by more than five times
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Key Takeaway
Note increased risk of central serous chorioretinopathy associated with pregnancy in this meta-analysis.
This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the relationship between pregnancy and central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). The study synthesizes data from epidemiological studies involving 2766 individuals, comprising 1345 patients with CSC and 1391 controls. The primary outcome assessed was the association between pregnancy and the development of CSC.
The analysis found that pregnancy acts as a risk factor for CSC. The pooled odds ratio was 5.51 with a 95% confidence interval of 2.12 to 14.30 and a p-value of 0.00046. This indicates a substantial increase in risk compared to non-pregnant controls.
Limitations of the review include the lack of reported follow-up duration and the absence of data on adverse events or tolerability. Funding sources and potential conflicts of interest were not reported. The authors caution that causality cannot be definitively established from observational data alone.
Clinical relevance is limited by the absence of reported practice implications or specific management recommendations in the source text. The findings suggest a strong statistical association but require further investigation regarding long-term outcomes and safety profiles.
What this means for you:
Pregnancy is linked to a five-fold increase in central serous chorioretinopathy risk. More on central serous chorioretinopathy
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View Original Abstract ↓
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.
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