Rheumatoid arthritis in pregnancy may increase some chronic disease risk in children

Children born to women with rheumatoid arthritis may have a higher susceptibility for some chronic diseases, experts report in Arthritis Care & Research. The findings should be used to increase awareness among GPs and paediatricians.

A nationwide study in Denmark looked at data from 2,106 children born to women with rheumatoid arthritis, and 1,378,539 children born to women without rheumatoid arthritis over a 25-year period.

Children whose mothers had rheumatoid arthritis when pregnant had:

• 2-times increased risk of thyroid disease;
• 6-times increased risk of epilepsy;
• 9-times increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

“We have addressed a concern in pregnant women with rheumatoid arthritis in terms of a potential increased risk of a negative impact of their chronic disease on the future health of their offspring,” says Line Jølving, who led the study. “Our results call for special attention on child development of rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease, and epilepsy if exposed to rheumatoid arthritis in utero.”

Click here to read the original research.

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