New Findings Alleviate Fears about Pregnancy and Damage Accrual in Women with Lupus
Results from a recent study suggest that pregnancy, either before or after lupus diagnosis, does not have a significant impact on chronic damage accrual in women with the disease. Using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Index (SDI), researchers assessed damage scores of child-bearing and non-child-bearing women with lupus and found that pregnancies were not significant predictors for long-term damage accrual, regardless of pregnancy timing before or after diagnosis. While disease activity tended to be higher in women with children, this difference was not statistically significant.
Although certain risk factors can increase risk for flares and poor fetal outcomes during pregnancy, motherhood is more than possible for women with lupus. In fact, chances for a successful pregnancy are excellent when planned and monitored carefully. Learn more about planning for pregnancy with lupus.