Jennifer Pielak: Arthritis & Parenting

For Jennifer, it started with stiff hands in the morning and progressed to random tingles and throbs in toes, knees and fingers – strange enough to notice, but small enough to ignore.

Then came the all-consuming wave of fatigue, but that could be explained away too. Jennifer was a new mom, up in the night nursing a baby and not sleeping like she used to. It was also Christmas of 2021 and parents were raising kids in isolation, without family support, and in the throws of a global pandemic.

“I thought I was supposed to be tired,” she said. “I was experiencing a lot of ups and downs, really feeling the world’s stress and struggling to care for my daughter without a village.”

Chronic Juggling Act

Jennifer’s doctor referred her to a rheumatologist and, after more bloodwork, she tested positive for the HLA-B27 gene, which is common in people with certain types of arthritis and inflammatory diseases. An ultrasound also revealed inflammation in her hands and, 10 months after experiencing the first symptoms, Jennifer was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

“I was in denial,” she said. “I wondered what I did wrong. No one deserves this disease. I was so shocked, as I have been a very health-focused person all my life.”

Jennifer questioned whether she stressed herself out too much, pushed her body too hard or experienced too much trauma. However, while she grappled with unknowns and was now facing living with a chronic disease, Jennifer had an 18-month-old to care for.

“I was scared of what my life would look like and wondered, ‘Am I going to be able to be the mom I want to be?'”

Family with Arthritis

Four years later, Jennifer’s disease is well-controlled through medications and she recently welcomed her second child, following a healthy pregnancy.

“It’s definitely possible to have an inflammatory arthritis and still have a family and be pregnant,” said Dr. Neda Amiri, a rheumatologist and clinician investigator at Arthritis Research Canada. “However, a planned pregnancy is the best pregnancy. Ideally, women with arthritis should have low disease activity, or be in remission, and be on medications considered safe in pregnancy before trying to have a baby.”

Fifteen to 20 years ago, the advice was different. There was so little data on arthritis, medication safety and pregnancy that people living with rheumatic disease were advised not to get pregnant.

Arthritis Research Canada’s scientists were the first to show that taking biologics during pregnancy, by a woman with arthritis, does not lead to complications like premature babies, low birth weigh, birth defects or infections in moms and infants.

“I’d love for people to know that there are amazing people out there doing research, working to help us live really great lives,” she said. “And there are a lot of options now. Because there have been options for me and I can get pregnant and I can have a family, I can work, I can live a pretty normal life.”