Deciding to start a family is an exciting time in your life. However, for women diagnosed with arthritis, the possibility of having children can be loaded with insecurity and uncertainty. Frequently, at the point of diagnosis, conception can feel like a faraway priority: the immediate profound impact of the disease looms larger in the mind of both the woman and her doctor.

However, while having arthritis may present extra challenges in having a family, these are usually overcome. Your arthritis may affect your pregnancy and conversely, your pregnancy may affect your arthritis.

One of the key messages is to start having conversations about your family plans with your healthcare team as early as possible. This is central to ensuring that you have a safe conception, pregnancy and delivery. As every pregnancy is different, a plan of care will be developed in partnership with your rheumatology and obstetric teams which will be specific for you.

Download the Pregnancy and Arthritis booklet

We have developed a suite of videos to provide you with a variety of expert perspectives - including a mother, rheumatology, obstetrics, nursing, physiotherapy and occupational therapy - on pregnancy and arthritis, which you can view below.

For further support, you can join our private Facebook groups; Arthritis Ireland Parenting Support Group & Pregnancy and Arthritis Ireland.

Pregnancy and arthritis - In conversation with...

Prof Doug Veale

Prof Doug Veale, Consultant Rheumatologist at St Vincent’s University Hospital, sits down for an in-depth conversation about pregnancy and arthritis with Arthritis Ireland CEO, Gráinne O’Leary. Topics discussed include how to prepare for a pregnancy if you have arthritis, info on medications and much more.

Donna Walsh

Mother of three, Donna Walsh, talks to Arthritis Ireland CEO, Gráinne O’Leary, about her experiences of pregnancy and motherhood while living with arthritis.

Pregnancy, parenting and arthritis - a personal story:
Anna Nolan Pang

 

Pregnancy and arthritis - obstetrics perspective:
Prof Fionnuala McAuliffe, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist

 

Pregnancy and arthritis - rheumatology perspective:
Prof Douglas Veale, consultant rheumatologist

 

Pregnancy and arthritis - nursing perspective:
Louise Moore, advanced nurse practitioner in rheumatology

 

Exercise in pregnancy with arthritis:
Mary Grant, senior physiotherapist

 

Managing stress, anxiety and fatigue in pregnancy with arthritis:
Emer Sheridan, senior occupational therapist

 

Read our new booklet on this important topic, which you can download here or read  below. It covers all aspects of planning a pregnancy, arthritis during pregnancy, and after the birth. It also explores issues such as fertility, dads with arthritis, the arthritis gene, lupus and pregnancy, medication, exercise, nutrition, stress management, caring for a new-born, and breastfeeding.

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