Pregnancy usually has a positive effect on rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, albeit temporary. About 70% to 80% of women experience improvement in their rheumatoid arthritis (RA) symptoms during pregnancy. In many of these women, drugs for RA may be safely reduced or even eliminated during pregnancy. For about one-quarter of women, though, rheumatoid arthritis activity continues during pregnancy, or gets worse. Unfortunately, the respite from RA symptoms during pregnancy is short-lived. Most women relapse after delivering their babies.