Choice of contraception may influence rheumatoid arthritis autoimmunity risk

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American College of Rheumatology (ACR)

November 16, 2014

Women using intrauterine devices (IUDs) may be at increased risk for producing autoantibodies related to the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to new research. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that causes pain, stiffness, swelling and limitation in the motion and function of multiple joints. Though joints are the principal body parts affected by RA, inflammation can develop in other organs as well. An estimated 1.3 million Americans have RA, and the disease typically affects women three times as often as men.

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ACR Open Rheumatology

The official open access journal of the American College of Rheumatology.

The journal publishes high-quality articles reporting on original investigations in all aspects of rheumatology-related research (basic science, clinical science, epidemiology, health outcomes, health policy, and education) as well as reviews and commentaries.