Conception, contraception and family planning should be an important point in discussion when patients in the reproductive age group are started on DMARDs or biologics because it may influence the choice of medication, says Ashima Makol, MBBS, chair of the connective tissue disease subspecialty group and director of the Scleroderma/Raynauds/Nailfold Videocapillaroscopy Clinic at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
“This study confirms that in pregnant women with RA or those wishing to conceive, achieving low disease activity and remission can be feasible goals with treat-to-target strategies,” Dr. Makol, who wasn’t involved in the study, says by email. “There are thankfully many more options to choose from now than used to be in the past, to optimize maternal health, while still keeping the safety of the fetus a prime priority.”
Reference
- Smeele HT, Röder E, Wintjes HM, et al. Modern treatment approach results in low disease activity in 90% of pregnant rheumatoid arthritis patients: The PreCARA study. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021 Feb 10;annrheumdis-2020-219547. Online ahead of print.
