Pregnancy and osteoarthritis

Hello,

I'm new here! I had hip dysplasia as a child which required a couple of surgeries to fix. This has lead to me recently being diagnosed with right hip osteoarthritis (although I have been in pain and ignoring it for a couple of years!). I am wondering if anyone has any experience with young osteoarthritis (I'm 27) and more specifically any advice re pregnancy. I'm awaiting an appointment with orthopaedics as my physio has done all she can, but with the pain and stiffness I currently experience, the thought of pregnancy scares me. The thought of needed a hip replacement before even having a baby scares me even more! I'm pretty active and was running half marathons until March, when I finally gave into the pain.

Does anyone have any experience with this? A lot of the information I've come across relates to RA. Any advice would be really appreciated :)

Rhi

Comments

  • Ellen
    Ellen Moderator Posts: 1,591

    Hi @rhiannon03

    It's lovely to meet you Rhi and welcome you to the Versus Arthritis online Community. I see you have osteoarthritis in your right hip and are also contemplating having a baby.

    Many of our members have experience of Osteoarthritis at a 'young' age so you are most definitely not alone.

    I don't know whether you have already read this? Do have a look particularly at the 'exercise' section being a fit young woman. Don't be put off by the initial wording it does relate to Arthritis.

    This article is by a mum who has arthritis:

    I understand a lot of information does relate to people with Rheumatoid Arthritis/Inflammatory Arthritides this is probably due to some of the medications and their possible affects on unborn babies and many of the issues are similar.

    Do keep in touch it's been a while since we had a 'forum baby'.

    Best wishes

    Ellen.

  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,332

    Hi Rhi

    Nice to meet you. How exciting thinking about having a baby. I am happy for you. I'm not sure whether you'd be better off having your hip operation before or after giving birth . Before and you'd be fitter to manage a new baby🤔also the poorly hip might cope better carrying a baby when you are pregnant too? Is it best to ask the surgeon's advice maybe?

    Just so you don't feel too alone being younger with Arthritis my youngest daughter has avascular necrosis in her Rt hip (long bone too - thigh) and had hip surgery and a replacement shoulder joint when she was 18 and 19 respectively.

    Please do keep posting like Ellen I would love to hear your story as it unfolds.

    Take care