| > | | | | women with RA have an uneventful course, with no |
| A look at how pregnancy affects arthritis, and how | | | | significant complications. Maternal morbidity during |
| arthritis can affect pregnancy. Rheumatoid arthritis is | | | | pregnancy and labor in patients with RA is |
| a chronic, destructive, and sometimes deforming | | | | comparable to that of women without RA. However, |
| autoimmune disorder. It is an inflammatory disease | | | | some contradictory data also exist in the literature |
| that affects the connective tissue in the joints. Once | | | | with regard to rate of spontaneous abortions and |
| again, the body interprets something in itself as | | | | preeclampsia and preterm delivery among pregnant |
| foreign and tries to destroy it by causing a painful | | | | patients with RA. In rare cases, normal vaginal |
| inflammatory response.While women with rheumatoid | | | | delivery is not possible because of severe hip arthritis. |
| arthritis may experience a remission during | | | | If a caesarean section under general anesthesia is |
| pregnancy, this is almost always followed by a flare | | | | required, special precaution has to be taken about |
| after delivery. Most consider this acceptable even if it | | | | the atlanto-axis subluxation of the spine.If you look |
| means they need stronger medications because of | | | | at the figures related to rheumatoid arthritis and |
| the joy of having the child.Not all women experience | | | | pregnancy, you will find that though rheumatoid |
| a lessening of symptoms during a pregnancy and | | | | arthritis does affect only one to two percent |
| these must deal with the disease as each trimester | | | | women, rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy is not as |
| progresses. All pregnancies have some risk and need | | | | rare a condition as one might expect it to be and |
| monitoring, but more monitoring is needed for | | | | women who are at an age of reproduction are most |
| women with arthritis. However, even those women | | | | likely to be affected. There have also been studies |
| who struggled with their arthritis during pregnancy still | | | | on the effects of rheumatoid arthritis on pregnancy, |
| say it is worth it in the end.Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) | | | | and it has been found that majority of women in the |
| affects more than 2.5 million people in the United | | | | US having rheumatoid arthritis may be relatively |
| States, and like other autoimmune diseases, it | | | | unaffected by their pregnant condition and the |
| disproportionately affects more women than men. | | | | maternal morbidity rates among women with |
| Women with RA outnumber men three-to-one. | | | | rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy are about the |
| Although children also can be affected, the onset of | | | | same as for those who have rheumatoid arthritis and |
| RA most commonly occurs in adults with increasing | | | | are not pregnant.Diet: * A low-fat, |
| frequency at least into their 60s. Doctors don't know | | | | high-carbohydrate diet with high-fiber content is |
| the exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis. They know | | | | recommended. Fish oils in moderate quantities can be |
| that with this arthritis, a person's immune system | | | | taken during pregnancy. * Over-the-counter |
| attacks his or her own body tissues. Researchers are | | | | herbal remedies are best avoided. * Calcium |
| learning many things about why and how this | | | | supplementation is recommended to prevent |
| happens.Effect of RA on pregnancyFew studies | | | | osteoporosis. |
| address the effect of RA on pregnancy. Most | | | | |