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Husband with RA and Pregnancy
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An_245226 posted:
I am newly married. my husband has RA. he stoped taking AVARA for us to have a healthy baby but he is swelling all over and i fear that his RA gets worse. what are the alternative medications that delay the RA that are safe for my husband to use and that will have no seroius effect on pregnancy?
1 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Husband with RA and PregnancyI am newly married. my husband has RA. he stoped taking AVARA for us to have a healthy baby but he is swelling all over and i fear that his RA gets worse. what are the alternative medications that delay the RA that are safe for my husband to use and that will have no seroius effect on pregnancy?
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Scott Zashin, MD responded:
The Medical Letter in their issue on Drugs for RA May 2012 states"Women who want to become perganant and men who want to father a child after beginning treatment with leflunomide(Arava) should discontinue it and take Questran 8g three time a day for 11 days to bind and eliminate the drug." Blood levels should be checked twice to verify they are undetectable before trying to conceive.. Other treatment options for moderate to severe RA include TNF inhibitors. In this months Medical Letter,it does not mention any issues with men who take this drug and father a child although it does mention the risk of congenital issues in the offspring of women taking TNF blockers during pregnancy. I recommend that patients consdering pregnancy discuss medications with thier Rheumatologist and OB/GYN to receive the most accurate and up to date information.
Report This| Share this:Husband with RA and PregnancyThe Medical Letter in their issue on Drugs for RA May 2012 states"Women who want to become perganant and men who want to father a child after beginning treatment with leflunomide(Arava) should discontinue it and take Questran 8g three time a day for 11 days to bind and eliminate the drug." Blood levels should be checked twice to verify they are undetectable before trying to conceive.. Other treatment options for moderate to severe RA include TNF inhibitors. In this months Medical Letter,it does not mention any issues with men who take this drug and father a child although it does mention the risk of congenital issues in the offspring of women taking TNF blockers during pregnancy. I recommend that patients consdering pregnancy discuss medications with thier Rheumatologist and OB/GYN to receive the most accurate and up to date information.
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Scott Zashin, MD is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical School and maintains a private practice at Presb...More

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