Management of rheumatoid arthritis medications and pregnancy

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects mainly women during their childbearing years. As aging of childbirth advances in Japan, women who plan pregnancy would increase after they developed RA. Recent findings showed that high disease activity of RA might impair fertility. Planning pregnancy is preferable after female patients achive and maintain low disease activity or remission of RA. Women on methotrexate, which is the anchor drug for RA, need to discontinue the medication with a high risk of causing birth defects during conception and pregnancy. Data of RA patients exposed TNF inhibitors during pregnancy has been accumulating in recent years. These data suggest that increased risk of spontaneous abortion and congenital abnomalies has not been observed. Although there is insufficient data about safety of breastfeeding while using TNF inhibitors, the secretion of the drugs in breast milk is very little and fetal toxicity has not been observed. Since long term safety of children exposed TNF inhibitors in uterus has not been established, we should discontinue the drugs as soon as pregnancy is recognized. TNF inhibitors may be an useful tools for management of active RA resistant to conventional DMARDs in women who desire to bear children.