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Journals / Uludağ Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 52

Thoughts on Fertility and Pregnancy in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Sistemik Lupus Eritematozus Hastası Kadınların Doğurganlık ve Gebelik Hakkındaki Düşünceleri

Seda Pehlivan(Department of Nursing, Health Science Faculty, Bursa Uludağ University, Bursa, Türkiye.)0000-0002-1670-0672
Beyza Nur Kahraman Kızılcaoluk(Database, Network Design and Management Department, Tavşanlı Health Services Vocational School, Kütahya Health Sciences University, Kütahya, Turkey.)0000-0003-0604-7996
Rabia Gülnur Yılmazer Serbes(First and Emergency Aid Program, Vocational School of Health Services, İstanbul Okan University, İstanbul, Türkiye.)0000-0002-6349-1324
Burcu Yağız(Department of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Bursa Uludag University, Bursa, Türkiye.)0000-0002-0624-1986
Hüseyin Ediz Dalkılıç(Department of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Bursa Uludag University, Bursa, Türkiye.)0000-0001-8645-2670
Yavuz Pehlivan(Department of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Bursa Uludag University, Bursa, Türkiye.)0000-0002-1201-8836
Pages
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Publication Date
2026-03-17
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

It was found that 66% of SLE patients were informed about pregnancy and its risks, 47% became pregnant after the disease, and the rates were significantly higher than RA patients (p<0.001).

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:The aim of the study was to investigate the thoughts of women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) on fertility and pregnancy and to compare the data obtained with those of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with different pregnancy outcomes and healthy individuals (HC).
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Key Findings & Data:The study included 100 SLE patients, 100 RA patients and 103 HC.
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Conclusion & Impact:It was found that 66% of SLE patients were informed about pregnancy and its risks, 47% became pregnant after the disease, and the rates were significantly higher than RA patients (p<0.001).
🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:sistemik lupus eritamatozus · kadın · gebelik

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the thoughts of women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) on fertility and pregnancy and to compare the data obtained with those of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with different pregnancy outcomes and healthy individuals (HC). The study included 100 SLE patients, 100 RA patients and 103 HC. The study data were collected using a questionnaire that included sociodemographic characteristics, disease characteristics, pregnancy history, and thoughts about pregnancy and fertility. Percentage, chi-square, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis analyses were performed using SPSS. The rates of miscarriage (p<0.001) and stillbirth (p=0.004) were higher in SLE patients. It was found that 66% of SLE patients were informed about pregnancy and its risks, 47% became pregnant after the disease, and the rates were significantly higher than RA patients (p<0.001). It was found that 31% of SLE patients had a desire to have children (RA=22% and HC=24.3%), 37% used contraception, and most of them used the withdrawal method. The proportion of SLE patients who primarily wanted a child was significantly higher than in the RA and HC groups (p=0.024). As a result, most SLE patients were concerned about pregnancy and its risks, and the proportion of those who wanted a new child was higher than in the other groups. The idea of pregnancy should be questioned in SLE patients from the time of diagnosis, and education and follow-up should be provided to plan for a healthy pregnancy outcome.

Özet

Çalışmanın amacı, sistemik lupus eritematozus (SLE) hastası kadınların doğurganlık ve gebelik hakkındaki düşüncelerini araştırmak ve elde edilen verileri, farklı gebelik sonuçları olan romatoid artrit (RA) hastaları ve sağlıklı bireyler ile karşılaştırmaktı. Çalışmaya 100 SLE hastası, 100 RA hastası ve 103 sağlıklı birey dahil edildi. Çalışma verileri, sosyodemografik özellikler, hastalık özellikleri, gebelik öyküsü ve gebelik ve doğurganlık hakkındaki düşünceleri içeren bir anket kullanılarak toplandı. Yüzde, ki-kare, Mann-Whitney U ve Kruskal-Wallis analizleri SPSS kullanılarak yapıldı. Düşük (p=0,004) ve ölü doğum (p=0,004) oranları SLE hastalarında daha yüksekti. SLE hastalarının %66'sının hamilelik ve riskleri hakkında bilgilendirildiği, %47'sinin hastalık sonrası hamile kaldığı ve bu oranların RA hastalarına göre anlamlı olarak daha yüksek olduğu (p=0,001) saptandı. SLE hastalarının %31'inin çocuk sahibi olma isteği olduğu (RA=%22 ve HC=%24,3), %37'sinin doğum kontrolü kullandığı ve çoğunun geri çekme yöntemini kullandığı saptandı. Öncelikle çocuk isteyen SLE hastalarının oranı, RA ve HC gruplarına göre anlamlı olarak daha yüksekti (p=0,024). Sonuç olarak, çoğu SLE hastası hamilelik ve riskleri konusunda endişeliydi ve yeni bir çocuk isteyenlerin oranı diğer gruplara göre daha yüksekti. SLE hastalarında hamilelik fikri tanı konulduğu andan itibaren sorgulanmalı ve sağlıklı bir hamilelik sonucu için eğitim ve takip sağlanmalıdır.

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Cite This Article

Pehlivan, S., Kızılcaoluk, B. N. K., Serbes, R. G. Y., Yağız, B., Dalkılıç, H. E., Pehlivan, Y., *, S. P. (2026). Thoughts on Fertility and Pregnancy in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Uludağ Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi, Cilt: 52. https://doi.org/10.32708/uutfd.1881188

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