Golding A, Haque U, Giles J. Rheumatoid arthritis and reproduction. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2007;33:319–43.
Smeele H, Dolhain R. Current perspectives on fertility, pregnancy and childbirth in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2019;49:S32–5.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
de Jong P, Dolhain R. Fertility, Pregnancy, and Lactation in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2017;43:227–37.
Clowse M, Chakravarty E, Costenbader K, Chambers C, Michaud K. Effects of infertility, pregnancy loss, and patient concerns on family size of women with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2012;64:668–74.
Marcy D, Zell J, Demoruelle M. Rheumatoid Arthritis and Pregnancy: Managing Disease Activity and Fertility Concerns. Semin Reprod Med. 2024;42:169–77.
De Cock D, Brants L, Soenen I, Pazmino S, Bertrand D, Stouten V, et al. A systematic review on the effect of DMARDs on fertility in rheumatoid arthritis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2020;50:873–8.
Tański W, Dudek K, Tomasiewicz A, Świątoniowska-Lonc N. Sexual Dysfunction and Quality of Life in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19:3088.
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Pina Vegas L, Drouin J, Weill A, Dray-Spira R. Pregnancy outcomes in women with rheumatoid arthritis: an 11-year French nationwide study. RMD Open. 2024;10:e003762.
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Nakai T, Fukui S, Ozawa H, Kitada A, Okada M, Kishimoto M. Management of pregnant with rheumatoid arthritis: preconception care, pregnancy and lactation strategies, and maternal-fetal outcomes. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2025;39(1):102022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.berh.2024.102022.
Kishore S, Mittal V, Majithia V. Obstetric outcomes in women with rheumatoid arthritis: Results from Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database 2003–2011. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2019;49(2):236–40.
Reed SD, Vollan TA, Svec MA. Pregnancy outcomes in women with rheumatoid arthritis in Washington State. Matern Child Health J. 2006;10:361–6.
Hellgren K, Secher AE, Glintborg B, Rom AL, Gudbjornsson B, Michelsen B, et al. Pregnancy outcomes in relation to disease activity and anti-rheumatic treatment strategies in women with rheumatoid arthritis: a matched cohort study from Sweden and Denmark. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2022;61:3711–22.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Secher AEP, Granath F, Glintborg B, Rom A, Hetland ML, Hellgren K. Risk of pre-eclampsia and impact of disease activity and antirheumatic treatment in women with rheumatoid arthritis, axial spondylarthritis and psoriatic arthritis: a collaborative matched cohort study from Sweden and Denmark. RMD Open. 2022;8:e002445.
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Tsai YC, Chang HC, Chiou MJ, Luo SF, Kuo CF. Fetal-neonatal and maternal pregnancy outcomes in women with rheumatoid arthritis: a population-based cohort study. BMJ Open. 2022;12:e059203.
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Zahid S, Mohamed MS, Rajendran A, Minhas AS, Khan MZ, Nazir NT, et al. Rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular complications during delivery: a United States inpatient analysis. Eur Heart J. 2024;45:1524–36.
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Förger F, Villiger PM. Immunological adaptations in pregnancy that modulate rheumatoid arthritis disease activity. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2020;16:113–22.
Jethwa H, Lam S, Smith C, Giles I. Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Really Improve During Pregnancy? A Systematic Review and Metaanalysis. J Rheumatol. 2019;46:245–50.
Nakamura E, Kotani T, Hiramatsu Y, Hata K, Yoshikawa A, Matsumura Y, et al. Simplified disease activity index and clinical disease activity index before and during pregnancy correlate with those at postpartum in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Mod Rheumatol. 2021;31:809–16.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Smeele HT, Röder E, Wintjes HM, Kranenburg-van Koppen LJ, Hazes JM, Dolhain RJ. Modern treatment approach results in low disease activity in 90% of pregnant rheumatoid arthritis patients: the PreCARA study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021;80:859–64.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Gerardi MC, Crisafulli F, García-Fernandez A, Lini D, Bazzani C, Cavazzana I, et al. Stopping bDMARDs at the beginning of pregnancy is associated with disease flares and preterm delivery in women with rheumatoid arthritis. Front Pharmacol. 2022;13:887462.
Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Hughes GC. Progesterone and autoimmune disease. Autoimmun Rev. 2012;11:A502–14.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Pathi A, Wright M, Smed MK, Nelson JL, Olsen J, Hetland ML, et al. The Rheumatoid Arthritis Gene Expression Signature Among Women Who Improve or Worsen During Pregnancy: A Pilot Study. J Rheumatol. 2021;48:985–91.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Sammaritano LR, Bermas BL, Chakravarty EE, Chambers C, Clowse MEB, Lockshin MD, et al. 2020 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for the Management of Reproductive Health in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2020;72:529–56.
Birru Talabi M, Eudy AM, Jayasundara M, Haroun T, Nowell WB, Curtis JR, et al. Pregnancy, Periods, and “The Pill”: Exploring the Reproductive Experiences of Women with Inflammatory Arthritis. ACR Open Rheumatol. 2019;1:125–32.
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Wolgemuth T, Stransky OM, Chodoff A, Kazmerski TM, Clowse MEB, Birru TM. Exploring the Preferences of Women Regarding Sexual and Reproductive Health Care in the Context of Rheumatology: A Qualitative Study. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2021;73:1194–200.
Castro-Gutierrez A, Young K, Bermas BL. Pregnancy and Management in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, and Obstetric Antiphospholipid Syndrome. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2022;48:523–35.
Rüegg L, Pluma A, Hamroun S, Cecchi I, Perez-Garcia LF, Anderson PO, et al. EULAR recommendations for use of antirheumatic drugs in reproduction, pregnancy, and lactation: 2024 update. Ann Rheum Dis. 2025;S0003–4967(25):00818.
Russell MD, Dey M, Flint J, Davie P, Allen A, Crossley A, et al. British Society for Rheumatology guideline on prescribing drugs in pregnancy and breastfeeding: immunomodulatory anti-rheumatic drugs and corticosteroids. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2023;62:e48–88.
Mother to Baby. https://mothertobaby.org. Accessed 13 Apr 2025
American College of Rheumatology. Reproductive Health Initiative. https://rheumatology.org/reproductive-health-initiative. Accessed 30 Jan 2025
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): Drug Safety Communication, Avoid Use of NSAIDs in Pregnancy at 20 Weeks or Later. October 2020. https://www.fda.gov/safety/medical-product-safety-information/nonsteroidal-anti-inflammatory-drugs-nsaids-drug-safety-communication-avoid-use-nsaids-pregnancy-20#:~:text=FDA%20recommends%20that%20health%20care,dose%20and%20shortest%20duration%20possible. Accessed 19 Feb 2025
Castro CT, Gama RS, Pereira M, Oliveira MG, Dal-Pizzol TS, Barreto ML, et al. Effect of Acetaminophen use during pregnancy on adverse pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Expert Opin Drug Saf. 2022;21:241–51.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Bandoli G, Palmsten K, Forbess Smith CJ, Chambers CD. A Review of Systemic Corticosteroid Use in Pregnancy and the Risk of Select Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2017;43:489–502.
Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar
Palmsten K, Bandoli G, Vazquez-Benitez G, Xi M, Johnson DL, Xu R, Chambers CD. Oral corticosteroid use during pregnancy and risk of preterm birth. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2020;59:1262–71.
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
Luo L, Li X, Yan R, Zhang H, Li C. Risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with rheumatoid arthritis and follow-up of their offspring. Clin Rheumatol. 2022;41:3135–41.
Comments (0)