Featuring Dr. John Wade, MD, FRCPC, Rheumatologist

Duration: 1 minute, 15 seconds

As with all medications it’s important to discuss medications and methotrexate and pregnancy. And we do realize that methotrexate does have an effect on the developing fetus, and so it’s an absolute contraindication not to take methotrexate if you’re planning or if you are pregnant.

One thing your rheumatologist will probably recommend, that if you are on methotrexate you ensure that you have appropriate birth control. And that is a discussion that you’ll need to have with your rheumatologist and perhaps your primary care physician and perhaps a specialist, to ensure that you have birth control if you are to go on this medication.

And sometimes, you may choose not to go on methotrexate because of that concern. One of the things your rheumatologist may do if you are of childbearing age, is they may ask you to go on a higher dose of folic acid rather than a lower dose.

So rather than go on a dose that’s just one milligram 6 days a week, your rheumatologist may up your dose to 5 milligrams 6 days a week. If you have any questions or concerns about methotrexate, you should contact your healthcare practitioner or your specialist.

Presenter: Dr. John Wade, Rheumatologist, Vancouver, BC

Local Practitioners: Rheumatologist