Arthritis and Pregnancy - How Pregnant Women Can Deal With Arthritis
Pregnancy for any woman wanting to have a child is a beautiful thing, well it is supposed to be.
For women with arthritis, it can be a really stressful and challenging time.
These women experience the added worry of having a baby, whether they will be able to provide financially, whether the child's father will be a good provider financially and emotionally, whether the baby will be healthy, to having to worry about their condition and how they will be able to cope with a baby.
It is a relief to mention that most women who have arthritis have healthy pregnancies.
In fact, some of the women who suffer from Rheumatoid arthritis tend to see an improvement in their disease while they are pregnant, but in most cases the condition gets worsened when the baby is born.
The best thing you can do during your pregnancy is to ensure that the medication that you may be taking for your arthritis does not in any way threaten the health of your baby.
Keep the communication lines open with your doctors and report every symptom and side effects if any to them, so that they are aware of what the medicine is affecting you and the effects it may have on the baby.
Stay clear of medications that can cause birth defects to your baby such as methotrexate and leflunomide (Arava).
Caring for a child when you suffer from arthritis is a big challenge in itself that is why it is important to have a very strong support system.
Planning for a child is essential for all mothers to be, even those who do not suffer from arthritis.
With women suffering from arthritis and depending on the medication that one is on, it may be crucial to get off the medicine before you even consider conceiving the baby.
This is something you will have to discuss in detail with your rheumatologist so that alternative medicines are found that will be less harmful to the baby.
As I mentioned earlier, most women do find that the condition eases up during pregnancy and then gets hectic again once the baby the baby is born.
This might be a concern for mothers who are planning to breastfeed because medication will once again need to be introduced to the body to help manage the disease.
Again, speak to your doctors to find the best medicines both for you and the baby.
In essence, women with arthritis can have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies, they just need to be able to get the condition in a manageable state and do it without putting the baby in danger.
For women with arthritis, it can be a really stressful and challenging time.
These women experience the added worry of having a baby, whether they will be able to provide financially, whether the child's father will be a good provider financially and emotionally, whether the baby will be healthy, to having to worry about their condition and how they will be able to cope with a baby.
It is a relief to mention that most women who have arthritis have healthy pregnancies.
In fact, some of the women who suffer from Rheumatoid arthritis tend to see an improvement in their disease while they are pregnant, but in most cases the condition gets worsened when the baby is born.
The best thing you can do during your pregnancy is to ensure that the medication that you may be taking for your arthritis does not in any way threaten the health of your baby.
Keep the communication lines open with your doctors and report every symptom and side effects if any to them, so that they are aware of what the medicine is affecting you and the effects it may have on the baby.
Stay clear of medications that can cause birth defects to your baby such as methotrexate and leflunomide (Arava).
Caring for a child when you suffer from arthritis is a big challenge in itself that is why it is important to have a very strong support system.
Planning for a child is essential for all mothers to be, even those who do not suffer from arthritis.
With women suffering from arthritis and depending on the medication that one is on, it may be crucial to get off the medicine before you even consider conceiving the baby.
This is something you will have to discuss in detail with your rheumatologist so that alternative medicines are found that will be less harmful to the baby.
As I mentioned earlier, most women do find that the condition eases up during pregnancy and then gets hectic again once the baby the baby is born.
This might be a concern for mothers who are planning to breastfeed because medication will once again need to be introduced to the body to help manage the disease.
Again, speak to your doctors to find the best medicines both for you and the baby.
In essence, women with arthritis can have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies, they just need to be able to get the condition in a manageable state and do it without putting the baby in danger.
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