Pregnancy and Arthritis.
Last updated Tuesday, January 04, 2005
Issues of concern
The following issues may also be of particular concern during
pregnancy, especially if the pregnant woman has arthritis: sexuality,
alcohol, self-esteem, surgery, and labor and delivery.Sexuality The fatigue, nausea, and emotional changes of pregnancy often cause
sexual desire and the frequency of intercourse to decrease during your
first three months. Desire often increases during the second trimester,
but may decease again during the third trimester when you may feel
uncomfortable and/or unattractive. Fatigue
or fear of another pregnancy may decrease sexual desire after your baby
is born. The additional pain and fatigue of arthritis may make these
problems worse. If these changes are a problem for you, talk openly
with your partner about them. Often, open communication can help solve
many of these problems.
Alcohol Do not drink alcohol to control or ease pain. Alcohol may harm your unborn baby.Asking for help If joint problems, pain, or fatigue decrease a woman's ability to
care for her baby, she may feel that she's an inadequate mother. She
may feel this way especially when the arthritis flares. It's important
for women with arthritis to remember that they are capable of caring
for thier children, but that they may need help. Accepting help does
not make anyone less of a mother--it simply means they are accepting
responsibility for their children's well-being.
If you are troubled by such thoughts, it may be helpful to talk to someone who specializes in these problems. Surgery If you need joint surgery, it could affect your ability to care for
your baby. Consider having the surgery before you become pregnant so
that you'll be able to recover before you have to care for your baby.Labor and delivery Labor and delivery are not usually particularly difficult for women
with arthritis. However, you'll want to find a comfortable position
during the labor and delivery process. You probably can deliver your
baby as most women do: vaginally, lying on your back. If this position
is uncomfortable, you may want to lie on your side or sit in a rocking
chair or birthing chair. Even if you have had a hip replacement, you
may be able to deliver your baby vaginally without complications.
As with any pregnant woman, you may need monitoring and certain
blood tests during labor and delivery. However, the amount of
monitoring you may need will depend on how active your disease is. If
you have lupus or scleroderma,
your fetus probably will be monitored throughout labor. In some cases,
it may be necessary to check the fetus' blood during labor to determine
if there are any problems that might require the baby to be born by
cesarean section rather than vaginally.
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