Risk Assessment and Optimization for Pregnancy in Patients with Rheumatic Diseases

Abstract

Patients with rheumatic diseases frequently operate with incomplete or incorrect information while planning for and experiencing pregnancy, often due to variability in provider care and knowledge. Risk assessment at each stage of pregnancy—pre-conception, during pregnancy, and postpartum—is focused on reducing maternal and neonatal complications. This review aims to compile updated, evidence-based guidance on how to minimize risk factors contributing to adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs). Mitigation of known causes of infertility, appropriate testing and monitoring, achieving low disease activity on pregnancy-safe disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) prior to conception, controlling hypertension (a frequent comorbidity among patients with certain rheumatic diseases), and the use of appropriate adjunctive medications (such as low-dose aspirin when preeclampsia risk is high) can optimize fertility and prevent adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Keywords

• adverse pregnancy outcomes
• fertility
• medication safety
• risk factors
• rheumatic disease
• disease-modifying antirheumatic drug