Women With Psoriatic Arthritis Face More Risks During Pregnancy | MyPsoriasisTeam

Connect with others who understand.

sign up Log in
Resources
About MyPsoriasisTeam
Powered By
PSORIASIS
NEWS

Women With Psoriatic Arthritis Face More Risks During Pregnancy

Medically reviewed by Ariel D. Teitel, M.D., M.B.A.
Written by Maureen McNulty
Posted on December 22, 2021

  • Women with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) face higher risks during pregnancy, including greater chances of giving birth prematurely or needing a cesarean section (C-section), according to a new study.
  • Risks were highest for women with more severe disease who needed to use treatments like biologics.
  • Researchers recommended that pregnant individuals with PsA receive counseling and individualized monitoring.

Women with psoriatic arthritis are nearly 70 percent more likely to give birth prematurely and 42 percent more likely to require a C-section, compared to those without PsA, a new study found. Pregnancy-associated risks were higher among those being treated for more severe PsA. The research was published Oct. 20 in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes joint pain, swelling, and stiffness. Up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis may develop PsA as well.

In the Sweden-based study, researchers collected data — spanning 2007 through 2017 — from 921 pregnant women with psoriatic arthritis. Their information was compared with data from 9,210 women without the condition.

The study authors found that women with PsA were:

  • 69 percent more likely to have a premature birth
  • 77 percent more likely to choose to have a C-section
  • 42 percent more likely to need an emergency C-section

However, PsA did not increase a woman’s risk of other potential pregnancy problems, including preeclampsia, hypertension (high blood pressure), gestational diabetes, or abnormal birth weight of the baby.

Researchers also looked at whether PsA treatments could affect pregnancy outcomes. About half of the women with PsA received treatments during pregnancy, or within one year of becoming pregnant. The treatments included corticosteroids, conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and biologics.

Women who were using PsA treatments were more likely to give birth prematurely or to undergo a C-section. In particular, using biologics led to the highest risk. Women using biologic medications were:

  • 4.5 times more likely to have a preterm birth
  • 2.7 times more likely to choose a C-section
  • 2 times more likely to need an emergency C-section
  • 2.88 times more likely to develop preeclampsia

The study authors didn’t think that the PsA treatments themselves led to problems during pregnancy. Rather, they hypothesized that women who needed treatments were more likely to have severe PsA, and severe disease is what leads to a higher risk of pregnancy complications.

The authors concluded, “All women with PsA, regardless of antirheumatic treatment, should be counselled about pregnancy outcomes and receive individualized monitoring during pregnancy.”

Posted on December 22, 2021
All updates must be accompanied by text or a picture.

Become a Subscriber

Get the latest news about psoriasis sent to your inbox.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Ariel D. Teitel, M.D., M.B.A. is the clinical associate professor of medicine at the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Learn more about him here
Maureen McNulty studied molecular genetics and English at Ohio State University. Learn more about her here

Related Articles

Do you have psoriasis and an anxiety disorder? Does your anxiety trigger or worsen your psoriasis...

Can Anxiety Cause Psoriasis or Make It Worse?

Do you have psoriasis and an anxiety disorder? Does your anxiety trigger or worsen your psoriasis...
If you’re dealing with scalp psoriasis, a head lice infestation is the last thing you need. You’r...

Scalp Psoriasis and Head Lice: Does Psoriasis Shampoo Kill Lice?

If you’re dealing with scalp psoriasis, a head lice infestation is the last thing you need. You’r...
You may be surprised to learn that psoriasis is one of many medical conditions that can disqualif...

Can You Join the Military With Psoriasis?

You may be surprised to learn that psoriasis is one of many medical conditions that can disqualif...
Gloves can be useful accessories for anyone, but they’re particularly handy for those with psoria...

Gloves for Psoriasis: 3 Things To Consider

Gloves can be useful accessories for anyone, but they’re particularly handy for those with psoria...
Scalp psoriasis refers to psoriasis that affects the scalp, forehead, back of the neck, hairline,...

Scalp Psoriasis and Hair Dye: 8 Tips for Less Discomfort

Scalp psoriasis refers to psoriasis that affects the scalp, forehead, back of the neck, hairline,...
Psoriasis seems to have no boundaries — it can affect anyone, regardless of their location, race,...

Psoriasis in Men: Severity, Infertility, and More

Psoriasis seems to have no boundaries — it can affect anyone, regardless of their location, race,...

Recent Articles

Navigating life with psoriasis means living with a skin condition that’s as unpredictable as it i...

7 Medications That May Trigger Psoriasis

Navigating life with psoriasis means living with a skin condition that’s as unpredictable as it i...
Empty spaces in the forehead, cheeks, and nose are called the sinuses. Usually, these areas go un...

Psoriasis and Sinus Problems: What’s the Connection?

Empty spaces in the forehead, cheeks, and nose are called the sinuses. Usually, these areas go un...
Sometimes people with psoriasis wonder if there is a surgery or another medical procedure that ca...

Can Psoriasis Be Treated With Surgery?

Sometimes people with psoriasis wonder if there is a surgery or another medical procedure that ca...
Doctors can often determine a psoriasis diagnosis by simply examining a person’s skin for telltal...

Is a Skin Biopsy Required to Diagnose Psoriasis?

Doctors can often determine a psoriasis diagnosis by simply examining a person’s skin for telltal...
Getting a good night’s sleep is essential but can be elusive if you’re living with psoriatic arth...

Best Mattress for Psoriatic Arthritis: What To Look For

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential but can be elusive if you’re living with psoriatic arth...
If you or a loved one has psoriasis, you may have looked into some of the environmental factors t...

Hard Water and Psoriasis: What Are the Effects?

If you or a loved one has psoriasis, you may have looked into some of the environmental factors t...
psoriasis News
psoriasis News

Thank you for subscribing!

Become a member to get even more:

sign up for free

close