Pregnancy-related concerns in patients with SLE

Results from a cross-sectional, single-center study exploring pregnancy-related concerns and their impact on family planning in 152 female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were published in Lupus by Mandilara et al. The study explored concerns around pregnancy, ideal family size, contraceptive methods, and preconception counseling and its impact.

Key data: Overall, 75% of patients had received reproductive health information from their treating physician, with 91.2% of patients reporting satisfaction with their counseling. Information received during counseling increased levels of anxiety in 19.7% of patients. At least one reproductive concern was reported by 82.9% of patients, with 73.8% reporting multiple concerns. The most common concern was the need to receive medication during pregnancy and its potential effects on the fetus (56.6%), followed by pregnancy complications (53.9%), disease flares (42.8%), and the possibility of the child inheriting SLE (40.1%). Among patients who had conceived before or after SLE diagnosis, 35.3% and 44.6%, respectively, reported having fewer children than desired, with the majority attributing this to SLE (83.3% and 86.2%, respectively).

Key learning: SLE significantly impacts reproductive decision-making and commonly results in women having fewer children than desired. Despite widespread preconception counseling, such counseling may increase patient anxiety, underscoring the need for individualized reproductive counseling strategies.