In most women, rheumatoid arthritis usually improves during pregnancy, with symptom relief from the first trimester of pregnancy and can last up to about 6 weeks after delivery.
However, in some cases it is still necessary to use medications to control the disease, and it is necessary to avoid medications such as aspirin and leflunomide, in addition, most of the time, after the baby is born, the woman also experiences a worsening. arthritis, which lasts about 3 months until it stabilizes.
- In general.
- If the disease is well controlled.
- Women with rheumatoid arthritis have a quiet pregnancy and the same risk of complications as healthy women.
However, when the disease worsens in the third trimester of gestation or corticosteroids are required, there is an increased risk that the fetus will develop a delayed preterm birth, bleeding during childbirth, and the need for a C-section.
Women with rheumatoid arthritis should take some precautions to have a serene and healthy pregnancy, with maximum control of the disease:
Before becoming pregnant, the woman should talk to the doctor and evaluate how best to control the disease and have a healthy pregnancy, it is generally recommended to discontinue the use of medications such as methotrexate, leflunomide and anti-inflammatory drugs.
During pregnancy treatment is based on symptoms that occur, corticosteroids such as prednisone may be necessary, which in low doses manages to control arthritis and is difficult to transmit to the baby.
However, prolonged use of this medicine generally increases the risk of infections during childbirth and antibiotics may need to be used even during labor or shortly the after.
After your baby is born, rheumatoid arthritis is common to get worse and it’s important to talk to your doctor to decide what’s the best form of treatment.
In case of desire to breastfeed, medications such as methotrexate, leflunomide, cyclosporine and aspirin should be avoided as they pass the baby through breast milk.
In addition, it is important that women receive support from the family and partner to help her with the baby’s tasks and overcome the arthritic crisis phase more quickly and calmly.
See all treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis.