Hi all,
Just a quick enquiry,
What are my pregnancy chances if I have RA, on MTX 15, and 36 years old. Is it less than 50 % to get pregnant? I understand that I have to stop MTX first, but I am asking generally about the side effects of all of this on my fertility.
Hala
As you already know, It is inadvisable to get pregnant while taking MTX. If you are trying for a baby, tell your rheumy as you will need to change drugs. If you are worried about getting pregnant and not actually trying, Make sure you are scrupulous in your use of birth control. Perhaps a condom AND a Dutch cap or similar device. Don't rely on being on the contraceptive pill as they can be flushed out if you have a bout of diarrhoea or sickness. I think you have to assume you have just as much chance of an 'accidental' pregnancy as anyone else.
Delving into my research papers I came up with a study that demonstratd that RA patients can take a long time to get pregnant - exceeding 12 months in 42% of 245 patients. But the significant factors were your age, if this would be first child, disease activity (DAS28), and long term preconception use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and prednisone over 7.5mg
Smoking, disease duration, rheumatoid factor, anti-citrullinated protein antibodies, past methotrexate use, and preconception sulfasalazine use did not make a difference.
So your overall chances of getting preganant are the same as anyone's - it could just take longer.
But there again, you could be in the 58% who get pregnant much more quickly!
Just wanted to add to the other advice that you have been given that you should go and see a good gynaecologist because they will be able to give you some good advice. Also if you have not done this already and are planning on getting pregnant then do things like remove gluten from you diet. Also even though this is an expensive option/long story short but if you are going to be 37 soon then you may want to look at getting your eggs frozen. All the best.
Do check out the reliability of freezing eggs, and potential implications of harvesting the eggs. I've heard stories that the success rate is about 1% which isn't very good for such an expensive option, and when I looked in to being an egg donor there were quite a few potential side effects. But this was quite a while ago, so things might have changed!
long story short but for sure, by all means everyone should do their own research. However my sister works with dr's that freeze eggs. She always tells me that everyone over the age of 30 should consider freezing there eggs if they want to get pregnant at one point. Of course it is a lot of money to freeze your eggs. All the best.
Having been on MTX a number of years, stopping it as advised, I fell pregnant quite quickly, twice. No problems at all, I was 29 & 31. However, I did have early menopause, age about 42. Follow advice and you should be ok, good luck.
I have had 4 pregnancies. The first one 27 years ago was unplanned and I was on hydroxychloroquine at the time. I managed without meds and fell pregnant again 22 months later after only trying for around 4 months. After 10 years (trialled several DMARD's and ended up 7 years on Gold) I'm not sure how long I stopped the gold before becoming pregnant again fairly quickly. If my new partner already had children I would not have had more but when you are reasonably controlled on meds you forget how bad your body can be. I managed without meds then for a while and had a 4th (mad!!) after which my body went downhill quicker than previously and had to stop breastfeeding after 3 months to go back on stronger meds. Now waiting my first grandchild next month. Farm
Hey Hala,
As always if you prepare the ground diligently the seed will grow. That obviously means making yourself the best possible host you can be to your baby.xx
If you really want this and are prepared to make your body and mind the very best vessel it can be, you will not have too much problem.
Diet
Meditation
Releasing all negativity
Exercise
Removing all doubt about the fact you are able to get pregnant
Supplementation
Oh, and these things should be taken care of in both partners, not just you!
Poor quality sperm or both partners not expressing their fullest genetic expression in the months running up to this glorious joint effort of creation will not help.
Love each other unconditionally, meditate together and live like you mean it! 
!!!!!!!!!!!!!A note for any guys taking MTX who want to get pregnant !!!!!!!!!!
Nigella sativa (black seed) is an anti inflammatory and chemo protective that can do the following...
Please read this study on Protective effects of thymoquinone against methotrexate-induced testicular injury.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/208...
BLACK SEED SHOULD BE AVOIDED IN WOMEN TRYING TO GET PREGNANT!!!
Some evidence points to nigella sativa (black seed) preventing pregnancy in woman
With that said... if you were planning wayyyyy in front you might be able to get some of the toxins out of your system and then come off of black seed for an extended period before giving it a go. Would take planning and a very strict observance to your regime.
You would have to do your research.
Making life aint easy, but if you have the love and do the work, you can do it.x
Hugs and hope,
Wade Tate
Hi
Thought this might be helpful. It's taken from the 'SPC' (summary of product characteristics). This is a document used by doctors, which gives some detailed info about the drug:
"Methotrexate is contra-indicated in pregnancy. Methotrexate affects spermatogenesis and oogenesis and may therefore decrease fertility. This effect appears to be reversible after discontinuation of therapy. Patients and their partners should be advised to avoid pregnancy until 3 months after cessation of methotrexate therapy."
As you can see, the effects on fertility shouldn't last once you've come off of the drug, but as you know, you will need to be off the drug before you try for a baby. Generally the figure quoted is between 3-6 months off of the drug.
As other said, factors such as having RA, dealing with symptoms and age might be an issue, but the methotrexate shouldn't have a lasting effect on your fertility.
Hope that helps.
Victoria
(NRAS)
Not specifically related to RA, but just read this article that might be valuable to Hala or the thread?
Chemical exposure during fetal development to blame for Autism
vegfriend.com/profiles/blog...
Let's give baby a great chance!
Hopeful wishes,
Wade Tate
ADALIMUMAB HAVE ANY OF YOU HEARD OF THIS DRUG OR USING THIS DRUG?
EFFECTS OF TAKING MTX, OMEPROZOLE & NAPROXEN TOGETHER
Outcome of f2f
Doubling the dose of MTX
Methotrexate.
