title: Pregnancy and autoimmune connective tissue diseases.
abstract: Autoimmune connective tissue diseases predominantly affect women and often occur during the reproductive years. Thus, specialized issues in pregnancy planning and management are commonly encountered in this patient population. This chapter provides a current overview of pregnancy as a risk factor for onset of autoimmune disease, considerations related to the course of pregnancy in several autoimmune connective tissue diseases, and disease management and medication issues before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and in the postpartum period. A major theme that has emerged across these inflammatory diseases is that active maternal disease during pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, and that maternal and fetal health can be optimized when conception is planned during times of inactive disease and through maintaining treatment regimens compatible with pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Internal Medicine and OB/GYN, University of Michigan Medical School, NCRC B14-G236, 2800 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2800, USA. Electronic address: wmarder@umich.edu.
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Marder
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, NCRC B300-304M, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2800, USA. Electronic address: littleje@umich.edu.
authors.forename: Emily A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Littlejohn
authors.affiliation: Departments of Internal Medicine, OB/GYN, and Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan Schools of Medicine and Public Health, NCRC B14-G236, 2800 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2800, USA. Electronic address: emsomers@umich.edu.
authors.forename: Emily C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Somers
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000276:immunology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome; Autoimmunity; Myositis; Pregnancy; Rheumatoid arthritis; Scleroderma; Sjogren's syndrome; Systemic lupus erythematosus