Sjögren's & Pregnancy - Part 2: What Are The Risks?

So in part 1, I mentioned Sjögren's pregnancies are riskier pregnancies. So...what are the risks?

First of all, if you've read up on the risks of Sjögren's pregnancies like me, I'm sure you went through the same phase as me where I was freaking the eff out. All my doctors have assured me that plenty of healthy babies are born to women with Sjögren's though, so please don't stress yourself out too much.

So, the most serious risk of a Sjögren's pregnancy is...

Heart Defect In The Baby

Also known as congenital heart block (CHB). I don't want to put a number on how high this risk is, because I have no medical training and reading up on the literature available online, the rate goes from "oh that's no big deal" to "holy crap I'm f***ed". I suggest talking to your doctor about this, but my doctor is personally very confident that with frequent check ups and early detection. this is nothing to worry about.

Neonatal Lupus Rash

The baby may be born with a lupus rash. Again, talk to your doctor. My doctor reassured me that this doesn't mean the baby has lupus and all the symptoms usually go away after a few months with no lasting damage.

Blood Clots

Sjögren's does make you more prone to blood clots, and unfortunately that also increased the risk of a miscarriage. Your doctor is likely to put you on a daily dose of aspirin to minimize this risk, so it's not as scary as it sounds.

Higher Risk Of Miscarriage

There is a study that found that there's a higher risk of miscarriage in Sjögren's pregnancies, but even the study notes that the women with Sjögren's in their study group tend to be older, so it could be an age factor as well.