Being Pregnant with Lupus: Tips for Mothers To-Be

Lupus is an autoimmune disease that is both complicated and unpredictable. It ensues when the immune system attacks the body's own organs and tissues. Characterized by flare-ups of the symptoms, one often doesn't know when the problems will hit or how long a flare-up will last. Symptoms that describe lupus include extreme fatigue, joint pain and stiffness, fever, muscle pain and hair loss. There may be skin rashes, and it is difficult to be in the direct sunlight. What symptoms one experiences also depends on how the body's systems are affected.

Lupus does not limit a woman from getting pregnant. However, studies state that 50% or less of women who have lupus have difficulties in pregnancy. Lupus pregnancies can be high-risk. The disease can muddle pregnancy with an increased risk of miscarriages, preeclampsia, and premature delivery. There is also a risk of heart problems for the baby.

Make sure to discuss pregnancy with a healthcare team. You need to see a rheumatologist, a perinatologist or high-risk obstetrician, and a pediatric cardiologist. Not every lupus case in pregnancy is the same, so it is essential to know what your lupus can mean for your pregnancy. Discussing your case with several different specialists will help ensure a safe pregnancy and a successful delivery.

Some pregnancies require treatment from the beginning. These treatments will stop some of the complications that occur with lupus. The risk of pregnancy complications is high if you are having a lupus flare-up. Control flare-ups by taking your medication, resting and working with your doctor.

Pregnancy risks are personal. Lupus doesn’t seem to increase the risk of first-trimester miscarriages. However, those with lupus have an increased risk of miscarriage later in pregnancy. Stillbirth is also a complication because of anti-cardiolipin and antiphospholipid antibodies. Tests show that almost 33% of women with lupus have these antibodies, which increase the risk of blood clots.

The risks

Blood clots in the placenta endanger a baby’s oxygen and food supply and cause problems in the baby’s growth. You may have an amplified risk of blood clots, a blood thinner or a low-dose aspirin or heparin may be prescribed. Screening for anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SS antibodies is routinely performed, and presence of these antibodies increases the risk of the baby developing congenital heart diseases.

Liver or kidney damage caused by lupus can increase the chances of complications during your pregnancy. Pregnancy puts increased stress on damaged organs. Larry Matsumoto, MD, maternal-fetal specialist at Atlanta Perinatal Consultants states, “I worry about women with lupus who have kidney disease more than almost any other condition. The challenges that pregnancy presents can overwhelm the kidneys and cause irreversible damage.”

Read on to learn some methods and tips to help patients cope with their pregnancy while also having lupus.