If you have Lupus and is on heavy medication.....

can you carry and have a baby?

It depends on the medication. Generally you can take plaquenil during pregnancy. Cytoxan is a big no no. Cellcept is not known.

It is generally recommended that you wait to conceive until you are in a period of remission or pretty calm level of disease activity. All lupus pregnancies should be managed by a high risk OB/GYN.

If you are on "blood thinners" for antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, you are at increased risk of miscarriage.

Lupus is likely to flare during pregnancy as well.

With a serious decision like bringing a child into the world, and putting the stress on your body of carrying and delivering a child, you should be having this discussion with your rheumatologist and obstetrician, not a bunch of strangers on Yahoo, many of whom will guess at the answers.

This subject would require a lengthy discussion with her physician that manages her Lupus. A lot would depend on if her medications would be toxic to a fetus or cause birth defects, whether her current condition is strong enough to get her through a pregnancy and the questions go on and on. The questions that should be asked are "would a pregnancy shorten my life, would a pregnancy cause a deterioration in my condition, if I made it through the pregnancy, would I be able to care for the baby myself after delivery. No one in this forum could give you an accurate answer to this question.

Obviously, this is something you need to discuss with your doctor.

However, I have a friend who has Lupus and is on Cortisone and other strong medications. She was advised to adopt. Her doctor was fearful that the stress of carrying a baby would make her Lupus worse. Plus, she would have to go off the medications.

But, only your doctor can answer this for sure.

i'm not sure, but i know that my cousin has lupus, but she never got pregnant while on her meds. But i would be concerned about the medication harming the baby itself. ask you physician or you doctor. for your health.