SLE does not usually cause infertility, but it can make becoming and being pregnant more difficult. Most studies find pregnant women with SLE have a two- to fourfold increased rate of complications, both during pregnancy and during/after delivery. Pregnancy complications include preeclampsia, eclampsia (pregnancy-related seizures), blood clots, fetal growth restriction, premature rupture of membranes (“water” breaks early), and preterm labor; complications during/after delivery include unplanned cesarean delivery, postpartum hemorrhage, and increased maternal mortality rate. People with SLE who also have active lupus nephritis, antiphospholipid antibodies, and/or anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies are at an even higher risk for pregnancy and fetal complications.[1]
Despite these risks, people with SLE can and do have successful pregnancies that end in the delivery of a healthy baby. This is often achieved through careful family planning (i.e., trying to conceive when symptoms are in remission) and working alongside a multidisciplinary team for ongoing support and monitoring.[2][3]
References
- ^Zhang S, Han X, Liu W, Wen Q, Wang JPregnancy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a systematic review.Arch Gynecol Obstet.(2022-Aug-01)
- ^Chen D, Lao M, Zhang J, Zhan Y, Li W, Cai X, Zhan ZFetal and Maternal Outcomes of Planned Pregnancy in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Retrospective Multicenter Study.J Immunol Res.(2018)
- ^Kwok LW, Tam LS, Zhu T, Leung YY, Li EPredictors of maternal and fetal outcomes in pregnancies of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.Lupus.(2011-Jul)