[Management of difficult clinical situations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Pregnancy]

Rheumatoid arthritis does not produce special damaging effects on pregnancy and/or fetal health, without taking into account the different risks the diverse medications to which these patients are normally exposed. Globally, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) do not seem to produce fetal alterations when taken during the first part of pregnancy, but their use in the third trimester is contraindicated because of the possibility of an early closure of the arteriovenous ductus. Steroids, such as prednisone, barely cross the placental barrier and can be used safely during pregnancy. With regard to the use of DMARDs during pregnancy, both methotrexate and leflunomide are contraindicated, although experience accumulated through involuntary pregnancies in rheumatic patients exposed to these drugs has not shown an increase in teratogenicity at the doses commonly employed for these diseases. Sulphasalazine or hidroxycloroquine can be used safely in pregnant patients and azathioprine and cyclosporin A do not seem to be teratogenic either, although the use of azathioprine is not recommended due to its mechanism of action. With respect to the use of biologic therapy during pregnancy, available data currently is limited to anti-TNF agents and does not seem to show noxious effects on the fetus nor on the progression of pregnancy. However, experience is still limited and the current recommendation is to avoid pregnancy while under treatment with these drugs.