Pregnancy in the patient with rheumatic disease: the obstetrician's perspective.

Patients with rheumatic diseases who become pregnant are justifiably categorized as having high-risk pregnancies. Utilizing a multidisciplinary approach, including perinatologists, rheumatologists and anaesthetists, successful pregnancies have become the rule rather than the exception. However, women with rheumatic disease are particularly prone to develop serious obstetric problems which often result in early hospitalization and delivery. Although vigilant obstetric care improves perinatal outcome, prematurity will continue to be a major problem complicating pregnancies in women with rheumatic disease.