The reproductive health profile of women with seronegative spondyloarthropathies, study presentation

Abstract

Introduction. Rheumatic diseases often affect women during their childbearing years, when pregnancy is an expected event. For years, women with potentially serious systemic autoimmune diseases have been advised to not get pregnant. Now we know that, with careful medical and obstetric management, most of these women can have successful pregnancies. Successful, however, does not mean uneventful. Doctors and patients must be ready to deal with possible complications for both mother and child. Further, women should not consider getting pregnant until their rheumatic disease is under control. A frequently encountered group of rheumatic diseases that affect women of reproductive years are the seronegative spondyloarthropathies (chronic reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and undifferentiated spondyloarthropathies). Each pregnancy in these women roots an unique interest and requires an individualized management, sometimes becoming a clinical challenge for the practitioner, as an unified approach is still missing.