Some women get rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at times when their sex hormones are shifting, such as after pregnancy or around menopause. If you're pregnant, your RA may improve, but it may flare again after you have your baby.
If you're breastfeeding you're less likely to get rheumatoid arthritis. One study shows that women who breastfed for two years or more cut their risk of getting the disease in half.