Reproductive aspects of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an auto-immune systemic disease showing a strong predilection for women of reproductive age. Higher prevalance of SLE among young women are in part accounted for by the effects of estrogen hormone on immune system. The key pathophysiological features of this disease are the generation of autoantibodies and the deposition of antibody-antigen complexes in the basal membranes of the organs where they evoke inflammatory responses and injury.