Lupus, Pregnancy and Childbirth

For some people GWlogowith Lupus SLE, a sad part of the illness can be difficulty having children. Some people discover that they have what’s called Antiphospholipid syndrome (also known as Hughes Syndrome). This is an autoimmune condition that can cause blood clots in arteries and veins (thrombosis) as well as pregnancy-related complications such as miscarriage, stillbirthpreterm delivery, and severe preeclampsia.

Treatments such as Heparin, which can be given during pregnancy to thin the blood, have helped to produce many successful births to Lupus patients at the Lupus Pregnancy  clinics at The Louise Coote Lupus department at St Thomas’ Hospital London, so if you have lupus SLE and are thinking of trying to conceive, it’s a good idea to ask to your GP to test you for antiphospholipid syndrome.

For those who don’t have children, either through choice or otherwise the Gateway Women is a very positive support network that organises events and groups and also offers an online forum to women who are childless. If you follow this link to their UK Meetups and register you can be put in touch with like-minded women who meet once a month locally.

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