title: Management of pregnancy in women with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity may improve during pregnancy but postpartum flares are common. Patients taking disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs should be counselled about effective contraception. Knowledge about drug safety in pregnancy is limited but the Therapeutic Goods Administration categories and online resources are a guide to the data currently available. Begin prepregnancy counselling as early as possible to allow for cessation of teratogenic medications and optimisation of RA disease control. For unplanned pregnancies, cease teratogenic medications immediately and refer to a genetic counsellor and maternal-fetal medicine specialist for risk assessment and advice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC gene-siew.ngian@mh.org.au.
authors.forename: Gene-Siew
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Ngian
authors.affiliation: Arthritis and Osteoporosis Victoria, Research and Knowledge, Melbourne, VIC.
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Briggs
authors.affiliation: Melbourne EpiCentre, Melbourne Health and University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC.
authors.forename: Ilana N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Ackerman
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Van Doornum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016742:Preconception Care / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D049168:Pregnancy, Unplanned; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents