PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Verstappen, Suzanne M M
AU  - King, Yvonne
AU  - Watson, Kath D
AU  - Symmons, Deborah P M
AU  - Hyrich, Kimme L
AU  - ,
TI  - Anti-TNF therapies and pregnancy: outcome of 130 pregnancies in the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register
AID  - 10.1136/ard.2010.140822
DP  - 2011 May 01
TA  - Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
PG  - 823--826
VI  - 70
IP  - 5
4099  - http://ard.bmj.com/content/70/5/823.short
4100  - http://ard.bmj.com/content/70/5/823.full
SO  - Ann Rheum Dis2011 May 01; 70
AB  - Objective The British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register (BSRBR) has collected data on adverse events including pregnancies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy. The purpose of this report is to summarise the pregnancy outcomes in women treated with anti-TNF in the BSRBR. Methods Patients were categorised according to anti-TNF exposure as follows: (1) exposure to anti-TNF and to methotrexate (MTX) and/or leflunomide (LEF) at conception (n=21 pregnancies); (2) exposure to anti-TNF at conception (n=50); (3) exposure to anti-TNF prior to conception (n=59); (4) no exposure to anti-TNF (control group; n=10). Results Eighty-eight live births in a total of 130 pregnancies were reported in patients who received anti-TNF before or during pregnancy. The rate of spontaneous abortion was highest among patients exposed to anti-TNF at the time of conception (with MTX/LEF 33% and without MTX/LEF 24%). This compared with 17% spontaneous abortions in those with prior exposure to anti-TNF and 10% spontaneous abortions in the control group. Ten terminations were performed. Conclusion Although the results to date have been promising, no firm conclusions can be drawn about the safety of anti-TNF during pregnancy and, without further evidence, guidelines which suggest these drugs should be avoided at the time of conception cannot yet be changed.