Pregnancy outcomes, fertility, and family planning in women with psoriatic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE

To quantify pregnancy outcomes and the frequency and cause of infertility among women with psoriatic arthritis.

METHODS

Women with psoriatic arthritis aged 20-50 years completed a questionnaire about prior pregnancies, infertility, and family planning. Patient-reported pregnancy outcomes were validated by chart review.

RESULTS

In 40 women with psoriatic arthritis, 67% of 70 pregnancies were live births. Patient-reported preterm birth and preeclampsia were more common after psoriatic arthritis diagnosis but were significantly over-reported. Most women reported no or mild joint pain during pregnancy and few took medications for psoriatic arthritis. Infertility was reported by 36% of women who were ever pregnant or ever tried to become pregnant, primarily due to polycystic ovary syndrome.

CONCLUSION

The patient-reported pregnancy outcomes in this retrospective survey were not supported by chart review, making prospective studies essential to understand the interaction of psoriatic arthritis and pregnancy. Infertility, particularly due to polycystic ovary syndrome, appears to be an important issue in this population.