Can patients with lupus nephritis have children?

Whether the expectant mother is healthy is the key to nurturing a healthy baby. If the expectant mother has lupus nephritis, it may affect the health of the child. A large number of clinical observations in recent years have found that if systemic lupus erythematosus is not active, renal function and blood pressure are normal, pregnancy will have no effect on both the mother and the fetus. However, even so, you still need to pay attention to many things so that you can have a healthy child.

Treatment options for lupus nephritis

1. General treatment: Patients in the active phase should rest in bed and avoid strong sunlight exposure. Those with infection should actively control the infection. Drugs such as procainamide, phenytoin sodium, and hydralazine are prohibited.

2. Drug treatment: Emphasize the principle of graded treatment/individualization, preferably with guidance from renal biopsy pathological examination.

(1) Glucocorticoids: Different doses of prednisone (individualized) are selected according to the severity of the disease.

When lupus encephalitis is present, methylprednisolone pulse therapy may be considered.

(2) Cytotoxic drugs: Cyclophosphamide (CTX) is often used, with a cumulative total dose of ≤150 mg/kg.

(3) Cyclosporine: Its therapeutic value has been recognized in recent years, but it should not be used as the first choice drug.

3. Treatment with traditional Chinese medicine.

4. Others: such as plasma exchange, immunoadsorption, intravenous injection of immunoglobulin IgG, whole-body lymph irradiation, etc., can be used if conditions permit.

5. LN: Patients with progressive deterioration of renal function should be given hormone, CTX and other treatments depending on the size of both kidneys, duration of the disease, rate of renal function deterioration, and the presence or absence of lupus activity. Patients who have entered end-stage renal failure (such as bilateral kidney atrophy) will be given replacement therapy (dialysis or kidney transplantation).

Health care knowledge for lupus nephritis

Patients with reduced renal function and increased blood pressure should avoid pregnancy. Fetal growth and development should be monitored, and termination of pregnancy should be considered if fetal intrauterine distress occurs; if the mother develops hypertension, she should be actively treated.

If a pregnant mother has lupus nephritis, she must pay attention to timely treatment. Because the inheritance rate of this disease is very high, pregnant women should have timely prenatal check-ups so that your body can find a treatment method as soon as possible. In addition, it is best for pregnant women to have a full-body examination before pregnancy to ensure good birth and upbringing.