Can women with lupus get pregnant and deliver a healthy child?
Yes. Ideally, a woman should have no signs or symptoms of lupus and be taking no medications for at least six months before becoming pregnant. Use of some lupus medications may harm the developing baby. Two drugs used to treat lupus as well as cancer –cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan”) and methotrexate — should not be taken by women who are pregnant, think they might be pregnant or are planning to become pregnant. Pregnancy in a woman with lupus is considered high risk, but most women with lupus carry their babies safely until the end of pregnancy. Women with lupus do have higher rates of miscarriages and premature births compared to women in general. Women with lupus, especially those being treated with corticosteroids, also are more likely to develop high blood pressure, diabetes, hyperglycemia, and kidney complications. Women who have lupus and a history of kidney disease have a higher risk of preclampsia (high blood pressure combined with a buildup of excess watery fluid in the body). L
