Fertility, pregnancy and lactation in women with systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that predominantly affects women of childbearing age. As the prevalence of SLE rises, and advances since the 1960s have substantially improved survival and quality of life, the number of women with SLE who become pregnant is steadily increasing. Although pregnancy is feasible for most patients with well-controlled SLE, pregnancy remains challenging for both women with SLE and clinicians because the risk of maternal complications and adverse fetal outcomes is higher than that in the general population. Moreover, the increased risk of pregnancy complications persists in subsequent pregnancies in women with SLE, whereas in healthy women this risk decreases owing to the development of maternal-fetal immune tolerance. During pregnancy and the postpartum period, women remain at risk of disease flares and other complications, particularly those with active disease at conception, a history of lupus nephritis, antiphospholipid syndrome or recent medication withdrawal. Important knowledge gaps persist regarding the mechanisms underlying these complications and the safety of treatment during conception, pregnancy and lactation. Preconception counselling, assessment of risk factors for adverse outcomes, pregnancy planning, timely medication adjustment and multidisciplinary management are essential to improve the maternal and fetal outcomes in women with SLE.