RESEARCH - Increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with RA: a nationwide population-based study

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Ann Rheum Dis. 2009 Apr 29.

Increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with rheumatoid

arthritis: a nationwide population-based study.

Lin HC, Chen SF, Lin HC, Chen YH.

Taipei Medical University, Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE: Using a three-year nationwide population-based database

(2001-2003), this study aims to examine the relationship between

rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and adverse pregnancy outcomes, after

adjusting for characteristics of infant, mother and father.

METHODS: The study used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research

Dataset and birth certificate registry. In total, 1,912 mothers with

RA and 9,560 matched comparison mothers were included for analysis.

Separate conditional logistic regression analyses were carried out to

explore the risk of low birthweight (LBW), preterm births, small for

gestational age (SGA) infants, preeclampsia, and delivery mode

(vaginal vs. cesarean section (CS)) for the study and comparison

groups, after adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS: Regression analyses showed that the adjusted odds of LBW, SGA

infants, preeclampsia, and CS for women with RA were 1.47 (95%

CI=1.22-1.78), 1.20 (95% CI=1.05-1.38), 2.22 (95% CI=1.59-3.11), and

1.19 (95% CI=1.07-1.31) times, respectively, that of comparison

mothers.

CONCLUSION: After adjusting for potential confounding factors, women

with RA had increased risk of LBW, SGA babies, preeclampsia, and CS,

compared with unaffected women. Our findings suggest a need for active

monitoring and early intervention to counter the increased risk of

adverse obstetric outcomes for pregnant women with RA.

PMID: 19406733

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19406733

Not an MD