Final Day to Give 💜 What You Should Know About Neonatal Lupus

Heyyyy 💞

Can you believe we’ve made it through 30 days of lupus awareness?

Over the past few days, we’ve covered SLE, CLE, and Drug-Induced Lupus. Today, we’re shining a light on Neonatal Lupus—a rare but important condition that affects some newborns due to maternal autoantibodies. It’s not the same as SLE, but it reminds us of how many faces lupus can have and why awareness still matters.

💜 Today is the final day to give to our 2025 Walk to End Lupus campaign.

We’ve raised $3,072.55 of our $5,000 goal—and every dollar helps fund critical education, research, and patient support through the Lupus Foundation of America, Georgia Chapter.

What Is Neonatal Lupus?

Neonatal lupus is a rare condition caused by specific autoantibodies—most often anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB—that pass from mother to baby during pregnancy. These antibodies can temporarily affect the baby’s skin, liver, blood cells, and, in rare cases, the heart.

Is It Because the Mom Has Lupus?

Not always. Many mothers of babies with neonatal lupus have SLE, Sjogren’s syndrome, or no diagnosed autoimmune condition at all. The common thread is that they carry the antibodies associated with this condition.

Symptoms of Neonatal Lupus

• Skin rash: Ring-shaped or red rash, often triggered by sun exposure
• Liver involvement: Mild enzyme changes or jaundice
• Blood issues: Low blood cell counts, like anemia
• Heart block: The most serious complication, where the baby’s heartbeat is slower than normal due to damage in the heart’s electrical system

Treatment and Outlook

Most symptoms clear up on their own as the maternal antibodies leave the baby’s system, usually by 6 to 8 months of age. The rash and blood issues are typically temporary, but congenital heart block may be permanent and require a pacemaker.

Not the Same as SLE

This is not childhood-onset lupus or early systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Babies with neonatal lupus do not have lupus themselves and rarely develop it later in life. The symptoms are temporary, caused by the mother’s antibodies, not a lifelong autoimmune disorder.

Early Detection Matters

Expectant mothers known to carry autoantibodies are usually closely monitored. Doctors may recommend regular fetal echocardiograms during pregnancy, and in some cases, treatments like corticosteroids or IVIG are used to reduce inflammation.

Summary of Lupus Types Covered

• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) – Affects multiple systems in the body
• Cutaneous Lupus (CLE) – Affects the skin
• Drug-Induced Lupus (DIL) – Triggered by certain medications, resolves after stopping the drug
• Neonatal Lupus – A Temporary condition in infants due to maternal antibodies

There’s Still Time to Make a Difference

Today is the last day to support our fundraising efforts, and every donation helps advance research, support patients, and advocate for policy change. The Lupus Foundation of America, Georgia Chapter, even advocates on Capitol Hill to help secure critical funding and legislative support.'

👉🏾 Donate here: https://linke.to/2025lupuswalk

Lupus Awareness Month ends tomorrow, and I’ll be back with one final post to close us out and reflect on this powerful journey.

xoxo,

Jowanna

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