New Research at ACR Convergence 2026 Highlights Pregnancy Risks in Lupus and the Potential Promise of AI-Supported Reproductive Counseling

ORLANDO – Studies being presented at ACR Convergence 2026 highlights the coalition between women diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and increased adverse pregnancy outcomes and the tools and therapies that can be used to help improve reproductive health.

The first study, Pregnancy Outcomes Prior to, at the Time of, and After the Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in an Historic, Multicenter, Multi-ethnic/racial Cohort (Abstract 2453697), analyzed pregnancies in women with SLE and evaluated pregnancy outcomes before, around the time of, and after SLE diagnosis. The study found that rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes were higher during and after the onset of SLE, with particularly elevated risk among women with lupus nephritis or positive lupus anticoagulant.

The study followed 2,067 pregnancies in 849 women with SLE. For pre-SLE, peri-SLE and post-SLE pregnancies respectively, the rates of extreme preterm delivery were 2.0%, 7.5% and 9.0%; late preterm delivery were 11.7%, 27.5% and 31.8%; and preeclampsia were 6.3%, 21.1% and 15.5%. Preterm preeclampsia increased markedly with SLE diagnosis rising from 1.5% in pre-SLE pregnancies to approximately 11% in both peri- and post-SLE pregnancies. After adjustment for race and ethnicity, pregnancies occurring around or after SLE diagnosis were associated with a two- to five-fold higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes compared with pregnancies that occurred more than two years before diagnosis. Investigators also observed that rates of miscarriage, preterm birth, and preeclampsia increased over time among peri- and post-SLE pregnancies.

"This study is representative of the research that needs to be done to uncover better therapies for systemic lupus erythematosus to improve the health of the infant and mother after a SLE diagnosis,” Megan Clowse, MD, MPH professor of Medicine and OB/GYN and Chief of the Division of Rheumatology and Immunology at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, NC. “'We should stop trying to protect pregnant women FROM research and work together to protect them and their children THROUGH research.”

The second study, Clinical Accuracy, Safety and Completeness of Large Language Models for Pregnancy, Family Planning and Lactation Counseling in Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases: An Expert-Rated Comparative Study (Abstract 2451659), compared the performance of four Large Language Models (LLMs) as potential sources of reliable information about family planning, pregnancy and lactation for people with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (iRMD). Simultaneous responses to 54 questions were analyzed by 10 expert rheumatologists across three core criteria. The study found that all four models demonstrated high performance and homogeneity in "Clinical Safety" (Mean > 4.10) with DeepSeek and ChatGPT achieving the highest overall scores in all three evaluated criteria. However, significant deviations between the LLMs were noted in "Completeness and Relevance."

“Using certain Large Language Models shows some benefits and reliability when providing patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases medical information about family planning, pregnancy and lactation,” states Maria Polyzou with the Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. “These findings indicate that LLMs require further parameterization and should not be used as a replacement of a specialist medical judgement.”

“These studies offer insights into the unique reproductive health needs for patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases, especially lupus, and identify areas for additional research to hopefully improve perinatal health outcomes. The second study highlights performance variability between popular LLMs on reproductive health topics in people with inflammatory rheumatic disease, these findings can help rheumatologists as they continue to evaluate which clinical tools will provide their patients with the most accurate information to inform and improve their reproductive health,” explains Elizabeth Graef, DO with Lahey Clinic in Burlington, MA.

Both abstracts will be presented at ACR Convergence 2026, the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, being held November 6–11 in Orlando, Florida.

Media Contact
Teri Arnold
Director, Public Relations & Communications
757-272-7002
tarnold@rheumatology.org

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About the American College of Rheumatology
Founded in 1934, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is a not-for-profit, professional association committed to advancing the specialty of rheumatology that serves nearly 10,500 physicians, health professionals, researchers and scientists worldwide. In doing so, the ACR offers education, research, advocacy and practice management support to help its members continue their innovative work and provide quality patient care. Rheumatology professionals are experts in the diagnosis, management and treatment of more than 100 different types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases.

About ACR Convergence
ACR Convergence, the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, is where rheumatology meets to collaborate, celebrate, congregate, and learn. With hundreds of sessions and thousands of abstracts, it offers a superior combination of basic science, clinical science, business education and interactive discussions to improve patient care and advance the specialty. For more information about the meeting, visit the ACR Convergence page, or join the conversation on X by following the official hashtag (#ACR26).