To determine whether active arthritis in pregnant patients can be safely treated with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) without harm to the neonate or longterm adverse effects in the offspring.
Patients were recruited from a prospective study on pregnancy and rheumatic disease. A cohort of 88 pregnant patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease was divided into 2 groups, 45 who were treated 43 not treated with NSAID during pregnancy. Possible longterm effects of NSAID on physical and mental development of the offspring were evaluated by telephone interview.
Groups did not differ with regard to demographic data. Fourty-nine pregnancies had been exposed to standard doses of NSAID for a mean duration of 15.3 weeks. A comparison of pregnancies exposed with those not exposed to NSAID revealed no differences in pregnancy outcome, duration of labor, complications at delivery, or neonatal health. No significant differences were found between the groups with respect to health and development of offspring at followup.
This study of a limited number of pregnancies in rheumatic patients showed no teratogenicity or adverse effects of NSAID on the neonate, nor did it reveal harmful longterm effects caused by intrauterine exposure to these drugs.