Does Eczema Affect Fertility? What a Danish Birth Cohort Can—and Cannot—Answer
Dr. Arsy Editorial Team · November 9, 2026
An eczema diagnosis cannot predict whether an individual will conceive. A Danish study analyzed reports from 88,713 people who were already pregnant, including 3,641 who reported a previous physician diagnosis of atopic dermatitis. The selection of participants is essential to understanding the findings. [1]
What did researchers ask?
Participants enrolled in the Danish National Birth Cohort between 1996 and 2002 reported their eczema history, how long it took to become pregnant, and whether they used infertility treatment. Researchers compared these reports between women with and without a reported diagnosis of atopic dermatitis. The information was observational and relied in part on participants' recall. [1]
Among those who conceived, the study reported a relative risk ratio of 0.83 for taking more than 12 months to conceive, comparing those with a history of atopic dermatitis to those without. The 95% confidence interval was 0.72 to 0.96. This is a relative comparison within the study's model, not an 83% probability of conceiving or a measure of any one person's fertility. [1]
The most important limitation
The cohort enrolled people after conception. It therefore did not include people who never became pregnant. Results cannot establish whether eczema helps or harms fertility across everyone trying to conceive. Differences in age, health, treatment, access to care and other factors may also influence an observational association. The study does not establish a biological cause. [1]
| The study can inform | The study cannot determine |
|---|---|
| Reported time to pregnancy among those enrolled after conception. | The chance of conception among everyone who attempts pregnancy. |
| Associations after the researchers' adjustments. | Whether eczema itself changes fertility or which individual will conceive. |
| A question for future research. | Whether stopping eczema treatment will improve fertility. |
Planning ahead with eczema
If you are trying to conceive or are pregnant, bring your full medicine list to your dermatologist and reproductive or maternity clinician. Some treatments have specific family-planning considerations, and recommendations depend on the medicine and individual circumstances. Do not discontinue or change prescribed therapy on the basis of this cohort alone. [8][9][10][14][15]
If conceiving is taking longer than expected or you have fertility concerns, a reproductive clinician can advise based on your history. Population statistics cannot replace an individual assessment. [1][2]
How to read the evidence
The references include observational cohorts, systematic reviews, clinical guidance and reviews of medication safety. They answer different questions and have different limits. A group association, a case report and an expert recommendation are not interchangeable; clinicians use the current evidence together with the patient's history and preferences. [2][7][8][9][12]
Care for dry, sensitive skin
Explore Dr. Arsy™ Hydration Recovery Moisturizer #003, 4 oz, a fragrance-free moisturizer for dry, sensitive and eczema-prone skin. The pregnancy and lactation studies listed here did not test #003, and they do not establish its safety for infant contact or that it treats eczema. Ask your clinician about your individual routine.
Related reading
- Eczema or Another Cause of Itching in Pregnancy? When to Call Your Care Team
- Eczema and Pregnancy Outcomes: Why a Research Association Is Not a Prediction
- Eczema Care While Breastfeeding: Questions Beyond a Nipple Rash
- Phototherapy for Eczema During Pregnancy: Five Questions to Ask First
- Baby eczema prevention: what major studies say
- Eczema and sleep: research for families
Research and clinical references
- Danish birth-cohort study: atopic dermatitis and time to pregnancy.
- Pregnancy in women with eczema: systematic review.
- Adverse pregnancy outcomes in eczema: systematic review.
- Taiwan population study of eczema and pregnancy outcomes.
- Atopic dermatitis and pregnancy: clinical review.
- Pregnancy and postpartum skin disease: classification review.
- Pregnancy and postpartum skin disease: management review.
- 2026 guideline update on eczema, pregnancy and lactation.
- EuroGuiDerm living update: eczema systemic care.
- Northern European consensus: conception, pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Dermatologic medicines in pregnancy: safety review.
- Dermatologic medicines in lactation: safety review.
- Management of allergic skin disorders in pregnancy.
- Atopic dermatitis and the childbearing years.
- Research review: immunomodulating eczema treatments in pregnancy.
- European task-force position on parental eczema care.
- Dermatology biologics during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- U.S. study of systemic eczema medications in pregnancy.
- NHS: itching and cholestasis during pregnancy.
- Pregnancy skin conditions: diagnosis and management.
- NHS specialist pharmacy: topical corticosteroids while breastfeeding.
- Phototherapy for eczema: Cochrane review.
- Phototherapy and folate: review of the evidence.
Educational information only; not a diagnosis or personalized obstetric or medical advice. Cited researchers and organizations do not endorse Dr. Arsy products.