Table 2

Medications prescribed in the postpartum period

OverallSLEUCTDArthritisRare rheumatic diseasesP value
Number of pregnancies265883310044
Compatible medications, n (%)
 Hydroxychloroquine130 (49)70 (80)20 (61)24 (24)*16 (36)†<0.0001
 Azathioprine17 (6)13 (15)0 (0)‡2 (2)*2 (5)0.002
 NSAIDs78 (29)14 (16)8 (24)43 (43)*13 (30)0.0006
 Prednisone63 (24)32 (36)1 (3)‡23 (23)7 (16)0.0003
 TNF inhibitors39 (15)0 (0)0 (0)38 (38)*1 (2)<0.0001
 Sulfasalazine15 (6)0 (0)0 (0)15 (15)*0 (0)<0.0001
Non-compatible medications, n (%)
 Taking at follow-up4 (1.5)2 (2)0 (0)1 (1)1 (2)0.8
 Starting at follow-up10 (3.8)3 (3)0 (0)7 (7)0 (0)0.2
  • *Indicates p value <0.05 for arthritis compared with SLE.

  • †Indicates p value <0.05 for other rare rheumatic diseases compared with SLE.

  • ‡Indicates p value <0.05 for UCTD compared with SLE.

  • NSAID, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; TNF, Tumor Necrosis Factor; UCTD, undifferentiated connective tissue disease.