• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center

Show Search
Hide Search
  • Disease Information
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Psoriatic Arthritis
    • Ankylosing Spondylitis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Gout
    • Osteoporosis
  • Patient Corner
    • Drug Information Sheets
    • Managing Your Arthritis
    • RheumTV – Patient Education Video Library
  • Our Research
    • Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
    • Current Research Studies
    • The Camille Julia Morgan Arthritis Research and Education Fund
  • About Us
    • Appointment Information
    • Contact Us
    • Our Faculty
    • Our Staff
    • Rheumatology Specialty Centers
  • Donate
Home / Ask the Expert / Lupus/Pregnancy

Lupus/Pregnancy

April 25, 2007 By Arthritis Center

Question

I would like to know if there have been any developments in helping one get pregnant. I tested positive for the ANA in 2002 and until Dec of 2005 my husband and I had gone though fertility treatment. I tested positve for the lupus anti-coagulant but everything in regards to feritity was above normal. The last attempt I produced 32 eggs and 17 fertilized. Everytime I was hyperstimulated. I had a healthy boy in 1994 who is almost 13 with my ex and I am now 35. Between 2003 and just recently, I had next to no symptoms. Prior, my symptoms were the typical, joint pain/swelling, fatigue, depression. Now I am experiencing all but the joint pain and have developed a skin problem across my chin and jawline and not a complete memory problem, just kind of like feeling not as “sharp”. I’m not sure if it’s my imagination, but my hair feels different. The frustrating thing is that everyone thinks the symptoms are something I can control from the fatigue to my skin. My husband keeps trying to get me to get an ovulation kit after 3 years of no results from one of the best fertility doctors in our area. When I was seeing a doctor regularly for this, it didn’t help. I just went in, he asked how I felt, did I want steriods, no, see you in 3 months. Is there any hope in getting pregnant? Is there any use in seeing a doctor if I don’t want steriods? Thank you for your time.

Answer

Both lupus and infertility are complex problems that are even more complex when they occur together. Unfortunately, I can’t help much without seeing you and having more complete information. I would suggest a complete evaluation by a rheumatologist and then a careful discussion with your fertility doctor.

Arthritis Center

Founded in 1998, the Arthritis Center at Johns Hopkins is dedicated to providing quality education to patients and healthcare providers alike.

Primary Sidebar

Ask The Expert Topics

  • Alternative Therapies
  • Ankylosing Spondylitis
  • Associated With Other Illnesses
  • Bursitis and Tendinitis
  • Corticosteroids
  • Diet and Exercise
  • Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs)
  • Enteropathic Arthritis
  • Fibromyalgia
  • General Arthritis
  • Gout, Pseudogout, Other
  • Infectious Arthritis
  • Myositis
  • Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Osteonecrosis
  • Osteoporosis
  • Polymyalgia Rheumatica
  • Psoriatic Arthritis
  • Reactive Arthritis
  • Regional Pain: Back and Neck
  • Rehabilitation
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Surgical Therapy
  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
  • Systemic Sclerosis
  • Vasculitis
RheumTV Logo

Rheum.TV is an informational platform created to educate patients living with a rheumatic disease. With over 100 disease education videos produced by the team at Johns Hopkins Rheumatology.

Visit Rheum.TV

Footer

Johns Hopkins Rheumatology

  • Johns Hopkins Rheumatology
  • Johns Hopkins Lupus Center
  • Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Center
  • Johns Hopkins Myositis Center
  • Johns Hopkins Scleroderma Center
  • Johns Hopkins Sjögren’s Syndrome Center
  • Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Johns Hopkins Medicine

© 2023 Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center
Patient Privacy