Coping with Inflammatory Arthritis During Pregnancy

Topic: Coping with Inflammatory Arthritis During Pregnancy

Confusion Surrounding Medication Safety During Pregnancy

It has come to the attention of experts that some women suffering from inflammatory arthritis may be receiving confusing or conflicting information surrounding medication safety during pregnancy. For this reason, some women are even discontinuing medications that may not need to be discontinued and attempting to cope with their inflammatory arthritis without them during pregnancy.

Some studies have ruled that disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs are safe to use while trying to get pregnant and throughout gestation. However, there has been mass confusion surrounding this fact, not just from patients, but from providers as well.

The consequence of this is that some women are unnecessarily putting themselves at risk by either rejecting or discontinuing medication on their own or at the behest of a misinformed provider. While some medications are not safe to use in pregnancy, some medications are, and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs have been shown to be safe during this process.

The Source of the Confusion

Several factors may be attributed to the source of the confusion. For example, comprehensive lists of side effects and commercials listing these effects may be quite overwhelming or frightening. In addition, the internet is ripe with misinformation, and some individuals may not realize the difference between opinion and evidence-based and peer-reviewed material.

Furthermore, individuals with inflammatory arthritis often see more than one doctor, and each doctor may offer a different opinion on the issue. When faced with conflicting or confusing views, some patients may opt to play it safe and either reject or discontinue medication.

Providing Clear Guidelines on Medication Safety During Pregnancy

Some ways to mitigate this is to steer patients toward information that is evidence-based and peer-reviewed online. Another option is the coordination of providers so that clear guidelines surrounding medication safety during pregnancy are provided. Finally, yet another alternative is starting the discussion of medication safety and the reproductive process preemptively.

Key Takeaway

Individuals suffering from inflammatory arthritis may take disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs to help combat symptoms. However, some women are making the decision to either reject or discontinue medication that helps keep symptoms at bay, making them at risk for a severe flareup. While there are several factors to take into account, the source of the confusion is often misinformation, either on the part of the patient or the provider. However, it has been proven that disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs are safe to take during pregnancy and that individuals do not have to cope with inflammatory arthritis alone.

Topic Discussed: Coping with Inflammatory Arthritis During Pregnancy