The objective of the present study is to describe the sexuality aspects, pregnancy and postpartum in three adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). From 1983 to 2004, 4,638 patients were followed at the Pediatric Rheumatology Unit of the Pediatric Department of FMUSP, of which 537 (11.5%) were diagnosed with JIA (ILAR criteria) and three of these patients became pregnant during the follow-up period. The age at their first sexual intercourse ranged from 16 to 18 years old. Patient 1 presented a twin pregnancy, with active disease throughout pregnancy, and was on 15 mg of prednisone per day. Patients 2 and 3 were at disease remission, with no drug treatment, and had full-term pregnancies free of complications; patient 2, however, had a disease flare-up one year after the delivery. All newborns were adequate for gestational age and developed no complications during the neonatal period. Only patient 1 required prednisone, naproxen e chloroquine during breast-feeding. The increased frequency of pregnancy in adolescents is a reality in pediatric rheumatology centers, and it shows the importance of more debate concerning sexuality aspects and contraception in this population.
juvenile idiopathic arthritis; adolescence; sexuality; pregnancy