Inflammatory types of arthritis can affect pregnancy from conception to weeks or months after birth. In addition, pregnancy can make a difference, whether good or bad, in the mother's illness. However, it is not possible to predict the course of the pregnancy or how it will affect the symptoms of arthritis. But the good news is that, with the knowledge and with a strong health care team, most women with inflammatory types of arthritis and related conditions can have healthy pregnancies.
Experiencing physical changes during the pregnancy cycle is normal for all women. Many different pregnancy factors, such as weight gain, can cause joint, bone, and muscle complications. Pregnancy and weight gain can cause rheumatoid arthritis to affect the lining of your joints and make it worse if you had signs or symptoms before pregnancy. The changes that occur in your body due to arthritis and pregnancy can cause strains and tears in your body, so you should remain within the reach of your doctor until you give birth. Arthritis can develop in the tailbone due to injury or from sitting on hard surfaces for long periods of time.
For some women with arthritis, these changes in the immune system also have the benefit of reducing arthritis activity. Around half of women with rheumatoid arthritis are thought to notice that their symptoms, such as pain, stiffness and exacerbations, improve during pregnancy. It is in the postpartum period that women are particularly vulnerable to rheumatoid arthritis outbreaks and to the primary development of rheumatoid arthritis. There is an increased incidence of rheumatoid arthritis after the first pregnancy, especially in the first 9 months.
Postpartum seizures can occur in up to 90% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, usually in the first 3 months, and more often after the first pregnancy, 12,13. As mentioned earlier, arthritis can reappear after delivery. In many women, it often worsens two to eight weeks after birth. To prevent as many problems as possible after the baby is born, women with arthritis and their healthcare teams should design a follow-up plan for postpartum treatment.
