Sex and pregnancy

Arthritis can take a toll on your body, but with proper treatment you can maintain a healthy sexual relationship. If your partner is concerned that sexual activity may be painful for you, you may both begin to avoid sex altogether, which could create unwanted tension. Talking with one another can help prevent this situation. You can continue to express affection while seeking ways to please your partner and yourself physically. Planning sexual encounters can be a big help if pain, discomfort, and fatigue become constant problems. Plan for sex at a time of day when you generally feel best, and time your dose of pain-relief medication so that its effect will occur during sexual relations. Also, pace your activities during the day to help avoid extreme fatigue. If you have arthritis and want to become pregnant, you may want to consult your doctor. It's not only possible, but also probable that you can become pregnant with arthritis. In fact, most women with rheumatoid arthritis have a complete or almost complete remission during the early months of pregnancy that lasts until six weeks or so after delivery. This simplifies your need for medicines that may harm the fetus.