The LIPS Clinic is a specialist antenatal clinic for pregnant women with Lupus Spectrum disorders including Systemic Lupus Erythematous (SLE), incomplete Lupus Syndrome and the Anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) as well as other connective tissue disorders. These disorders are linked to serious problems during pregnancy such as pregnancy loss, pre-eclampsia, premature birth and failure of the baby to grow.
The specialist team in the clinic provides pre-conception advice, routine antenatal care such as blood pressure and urine checks, routine antenatal advice, detailed ultrasound scans of the baby and placenta, monitoring of medication, monitoring of blood tests, monitoring and management of symptoms related to the specific disorder such as 'flare ups'. The care plan that is offered is tailored to every woman, depending on her needs.
A research programme embedded in the service aims to collect information about pregnancies in women with Lupus-like disorders and other connective tissue diseases to help us understand pregnancy in women with these disorders better. Collecting information like this helps us to improve outcomes of pregnancy in the future.
All women attending the LIPs clinic are invited to take part in the research study and will be sent the information with the appointment letter. Your decision to help or not with the research project does not make a difference to the clinical care you get.
Referral information
Patients can be referred to the Lupus in Pregnancy (LIPS) Clinic via:
- their GP
- community midwife
- obstetrician
- reproductive Health Service
- rheumatology
The clinic helps women with:
- systematic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
- incomplete Lupus Syndrome
- anti-phospholipid Syndrome (APS)
- other connective tissue diseases, including scleroderma, dermatomyositis and others.
Women attending the clinic are offered:
- preconception care
- antenatal care
- management of Lupus in pregnancy including additional pregnancy scans
- opportunities to be involved in research
Visit our referral information page for more information
Clinic information
The clinic is located at:
5th Floor Tommy's Research Centre
Saint Mary's Hospital
Manchester
