Impact of postpartum on patients with rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis: an ancillary analysis of the GR2 prospective cohort
Authors' conclusion
RA patients were more likely to flare during early postpartum, while SpA patients remained stable.
Study context
- Population
- Pregnant women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA) with at least one postpartum visit, French multicentre prospective cohort (GR2), October 2014 to October 2022
- Participants
- 94 vs 124
- Exposure
- Postpartum vs pregnancy, in RA and SpA; disease activity by breastfeeding duration (never, <6 months, ≥6 months)
- RAn = 94
- SpAn = 124
- Outcome
- At least one flare / disease activity, postpartum vs pregnancy
- Follow-up
- First 6 months postpartum
Methodological detailsmulticentre, survival analysis
- Multicentre
- Survival analysis
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Proportion with at least one flare
62.0% vs 43.5%
P = 0.02
RA: first 6 months postpartum vs RA: pregnancy
Disease activity
40.7% vs 40.7%
P = 0.999
SpA: 6 months postpartum vs SpA: pregnancy · no difference
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
bDMARD continued during whole pregnancy and postpartum
Denominator RA 91 · SpA 123
(Re)started bDMARD postpartum, among those delivering without any DMARDs
Denominator RA 78 · SpA 94
- (Re)started biologic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug (bDMARD) postpartum, among those delivering without any DMARDs: 78/91 RA and 94/123 SpA delivered without any DMARDs
Postpartum disease activity by breastfeeding status
- Disease activity in postpartum similar between the different breastfeeding status in both diseases
Original publication
Impact of postpartum on patients with rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis: an ancillary analysis of the GR2 prospective cohort. RMD Open. Published 28 April 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →