Pregnancy And Autoimmune Diseases

Publication date: Available online 14 November 2019Source: Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & GynaecologyAuthor(s): Emily C. SomersAbstractAutoimmune diseases (AID) are more prevalent in women than men, and pregnancy-related factors such as hormonal modulation and fetal microchimerism may influence future risk of maternal AID. For women with AID, optimizing reproductive health requires a continuum of multidisciplinary care that initiates well before the desire for pregnancy is articulated. Family planning is essential so that pregnancy can be timed when disease is stable and to allow for appropriate medication adjustments. When contraception is used, choice of method needs to take into consideration underlying disease and laboratory features. For females undergoing gonadotoxic therapy, options for preserving ovarian health and fertility warrant consideration, even among those who are not contemplating future pregnancy. Both maternal and fetal outcomes are optimized with multispecialty care and close monitoring during pregnancy and the post-partum period, and when treatment regimens compatible with pregnancy are maintained in order to control underlying disease activity.
Source: Best Practice and Research Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology - Category: OBGYN Source Type: research