Autoimmune Diseases and Pregnancy

According to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, 50 million Americans are suffering from an autoimmune disease, and 30 million of them are women. The reason that women are experiencing more autoimmune diseases is unknown. It is possible that they are more likely to go to the doctor and be diagnosed. It is also possible that they are simply more predisposed to developing autoimmune diseases due to hormonal changes during pregnancy, which are known to be a trigger. Regardless of the cause, this fact is troubling because research has shown that mothers with these disorders are more likely to have children with autism.

Doctors have found an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder in children whose mothers have celiac, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis (1). Researchers say this study leaves many questions unanswered, but it’s possible that babies are affected by their mothers’ antibodies while in the womb. Their mothers’ disease also may create an abnormal environment (1).

Some women report that their autoimmune disease went into remission while pregnant. This could be due to the mother’s receiving increased anti-inflammatory effects from the embryo’s adrenal gland. When an embryo is forming, the adrenal gland is among the largest. In fact, when an infant is born, the adrenal gland constitutes 0.2% of the total body weight. While this may not sound like much, it is actually 20 times its relative size in the adult (2). It is common for autoimmune patients to have compromised adrenal function due to chronic stress. When a woman with compromised adrenal gland function gets pregnant, there will be a substantial increase in cortisol production from the extra adrenal glands of the embryo. Because cortisol is a hormone, it is capable of crossing the placenta and affecting the mother. The effect of the extra cortisol on the mother would be like that of prednisone, which is known to ease symptoms of autoimmune diseases.

Many women struggle with having an active autoimmune disease and simultaneously trying to conceive. This can be dangerous due to the fact that the health of the child could be compromised, and the risk of the pregnancy will increase. Before a women tries to conceive, she should try to become as healthy as possible so that she can avoid exacerbating or triggering an autoimmune disease.

References:
1. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-07-12-autism13_N.htm
2. Pediatrics, Hjördis Atladottir, University of Aarhus, Denmark