Nulliparity Associated With Earlier Arthritis Onset

Premenopausal women who never gave birth (nulliparity) were diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis an average of five years earlier than women diagnosed with the condition who had borne a child. According to a study being presented at EULAR, Medical News Today reports that of 557 women with rheumatoid arthritis and related inflammatory conditions, those with no children were 26 years old at diagnosis on average compared with just over 31 years old for women with children.

Study participants included 163 women who never had children and 394 women who had. All of the women were diagnosed with arthritis before age 45. Most had rheumatoid arthritis -- but there were patients with psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or other non-specific types of arthritis as well. Nulliparous women had significantly more education, were more likely to smoke, and had lower levels of rheumatoid factor. Even after those factors were adjusted, nulliparity seemed associated with earlier arthritis onset. Researchers said it could be due to biological factors, environmental factors, or lifestyle. This study is merely a step towards better understanding of pregnancy and arthritis.

Related Resources:

• Guide to Pregnancy and Arthritis
• Rheumatism, Rheumatic Disease, and Arthritis
• 8 Vital Facts About Pregnancy and Arthritis
• Pregnancy Still Associated With RA Remission
• Women With Lupus And RA Have Greater Pregnancy Complications

Share Your Advice and Experiences:

• Join Us in Our Arthritis Forum / Message Board

_{Photo by Richard Beebe (iStockphoto)}