Prof. Douglas Veale, consultant rheumatologist at St Vincent’s University Hospital, provides expert advice for women living with inflammatory arthritis who are thinking of having a family.
One of the most frequently asked questions is around medications and pregnancy. By and large, a lot of the modern therapies are very safe in pregnancy.
The advice is that women who are planning a pregnancy, should be as well as they possibly can be in terms of their arthritis. This means that their treatment is continued, at least until they conceive, and then, depending on how well their arthritis is controlled, they may be able to stop their treatment or they may need to continue it to maintain that wellness throughout their pregnancy.
However, because of the range of treatments available, it is advisable to discuss these issues as early as possible with the rheumatology team.
The focus, therefore, is across the full length of the journey – from contraception, conception, through to pregnancy, and living with a baby.
If a woman with arthritis is planning a pregnancy, she needs to discuss that with her rheumatologist, and possibly also with a gynaecologist or an obstetrician. There is also lots of practical advice to be gained from conversations with physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
Further information about pregnancy and arthritis is available in the Arthritis Ireland booklet on this topic, available on their website.
Supported by UCB through an educational grant.
