Pregnancy

Arthritis and Pregnancy

Arthritis is a general term referring to inflammation of the joints, comprising different conditions of the same origin such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, although there are more than 100 different kinds of arthritis. This condition causes pain, swelling, and increasing difficulty in body movements.

Since arthritis affects your physical ability, strength, and endurance during pregnancy, or at any other stage of your life, it is necessary to judge if you would be able to care for a baby. If you already are diagnosed with arthritis, many doctors will have concerns and question your capabilities, because a newborn is entirely dependent on the mother

The decision to get pregnant knowing what to expect with an arthritis diagnose, is also a conscious decision valid for all women. Arthritis is not an obstacle from not becoming a mother, but just one of the greatest decisions that a woman ever has to make, and she needs to have the right information to do so, without health risks for her and the baby.

If your have arthritis and are already pregnant or planning to have a baby, consider if you are ready. Some common questions related to your condition that you may ask yourself for are:

• How will pregnancy affect my arthritis?
• How will arthritis affect pregnancy?
• Will my baby inherit arthritis?
• How can I plan ahead for my pregnancy?
• How can I care for myself and for my baby after birth?
• Will the arthritis go away?

A woman with arthritis can evaluate her physical ability to care for a new baby with self-tests with questions to consider and to later discuss with others, including particular concerns related to arthritis. This type of test is also performed at the offices of most health care practitioners, after asking you to try the activities described below for accuracy in the evaluation.

Such activities can mimic the motions of carrying and lifting a baby, giving you a better idea of what problems you may have to work on before pregnancy. In addition, you will know how common activities may affect you physically, just by simply carrying a 10 lb. bag of potatoes and answer yes or no to a few questions associated with moving around.

If you can handle common activities carrying the bag without any problems, it is more likely that you can care for your baby. Otherwise, the doctor can help you to improve your condition and talk to your family for additional feedback or other activities to consider, trying to find the best solution for you and your baby or plans to getting pregnant.