Pregnancy termination in patients with rheumatic diseases.

Rheumatic diseases affect women during their reproductive years. Many women with rheumatic diseases become pregnant; some undergo pregnancy termination. However, there are no official guidelines on pregnancy termination in patients with rheumatic diseases. This paper provides an overview of considerations that healthcare professionals must take into account. We highlight areas that require further studies and the importance of pregnancy planning and contraception counseling. Patients with rheumatic diseases need to be informed of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes of pregnancy to make informed reproductive decisions and reduce the need for pregnancy terminations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.