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Updated: May 30, 2026
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Du-Moxibustion in a Mouse Model of Ankylosing Spondylitis
Published on: October 27, 2023
Effect of pregnancy on ankylosing spondylitis: a case-control study
Nai Lee Lui1, Nigil Haroon, Adele Carty
1Division of Rheumatology, University of Toronto, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
The Journal of Rheumatology
|August 17, 2011
Summary
Pregnancy generally does not worsen ankylosing spondylitis (AS). While pain may increase in later pregnancy due to biomechanical factors, symptoms in AS patients typically return to pre-pregnancy levels postpartum.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Obstetrics
- Clinical Immunology
Background:
- Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease primarily affecting the spine.
- The impact of pregnancy on AS disease activity and symptoms is not well-established.
- Understanding pregnancy outcomes in AS is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of pregnancy on the disease activity and symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis.
- To compare pain and stiffness levels in AS patients and healthy controls during and after pregnancy.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 19 female patients with AS and 33 controls.
- Assessment of back pain, stiffness, and extraarticular symptoms pre-, during, and postpartum.
- Comparison of symptom severity between AS patients and controls across pregnancy stages.
Main Results:
- Improvement in pain was reported by 51% of AS patients, mainly in the first trimester.
- Pain improvement was more significant than stiffness improvement in AS patients.
- Both AS patients and controls experienced worsening pain in later pregnancy due to biomechanical loading.
- Postpartum pain scores in AS patients generally returned to pre-pregnancy levels.
Conclusions:
- Pregnancy does not appear to substantially aggravate the disease activity or severity of ankylosing spondylitis.
- The findings suggest that pregnancy is generally safe for women with AS regarding disease flares.
- Further research may explore long-term effects and specific management strategies.
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