The Role of Nurses for WoCBA Patients During Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

Abstract

WoCBA stands for a woman of childbearing age. In 2018, it was reported that women’s average age when first married and first giving birth were around 30 years old. Women lose their fertility in their late 30s, and late marriage due to modern diversifying lifestyle changes has led to an increase in infertility problems. The incidence of RA is in 30 to 50-year-olds, and includes WoCBA patients with RA. However, the advent of biologics and JAK inhibitors improved in controlling RA disease activity, and in turn, improved the chances of pregnancy. RA care needs to be executed in relation to each stage of the patients’ progress from pregnancy to after childbirth, and in addition due to the unknown variables of pregnancy and childbirth, nurses must provide guidance on these changing medical conditions. In the early stages of pregnancy, nurses need to reduce patients’ anxiety about the worsening of RA, and provide infertility treatment and psychological support to the patient if they become pregnant. For example, in mid-pregnancy period the nurse can explain the way of reduction in burden on joints due to patient’s weight gain. In late-pregnancy period, it is important for the nurse to address patient concerns about “lactation”. Guidance on the timing of “weaning” is indispensable when RA treatment is started after delivery. For the RA WoCBA patient generations, nurses also build and support communication between doctors and patients during pregnancy and childbirth.