Infertility consists by definition in" failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected intercourse" while the term subfertility means a delay to achieve pregnancy. Several factors can contribute to infertility or subfertility in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. The association of systemic autoimmune conditions with endometriosis, celiac disease and thyroid autoimmunity that are well known causes of infertility and/or subfertility need to be taken in consideration when difficulties in the onset of pregnancy is reported. The majority of the used antirheumatic drugs do not interfere with fertility. However, the use of cyclophosphamide, limited to severe disease, can provoke premature ovarian failure; to preserve fertility a preventive treatment is available. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can cause temporary infertility and corticosteroids are associated to a prolonged time to pregnancy in some rheumatic diseases. Data on the association of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) with infertility are still debated but in general an increased rate of aPL is described patients undergoing medically assisted reproductive techniques. In systemic lupus erythematosus aPL and other autoantibodies (i.e. anti-oocytes) can contribute to the infertility of some patients. Subfertility, rather than infertility, is observed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis; the particular physical conditions of these women can also account for this. Physicians should not forget the patients' age, that is mandatory in order to preserve their chance to have children.

中文翻译：

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患有系统性自身免疫性疾病的妇女的不育症。

根据定义，不孕症包括“在常规无保护的性交后12个月或更长时间后仍未达到临床妊娠”，而术语“不育症”是指延迟妊娠。全身性自身免疫性疾病患者的一些因素可能导致不孕或亚不育。当报道妊娠困难时，应考虑全身性自身免疫性疾病与子宫内膜异位症，腹腔疾病和甲状腺自身免疫性的相关性，这是众所周知的不育和/或不育性原因。大多数使用的抗风湿药不会干扰生育能力。但是，仅限于严重疾病的环磷酰胺的使用会引起卵巢早衰。为了保持生育能力，可以采取预防措施。非甾体类抗炎药会导致暂时性不孕，在某些风湿性疾病中，皮质类固醇会延长妊娠时间。关于抗磷脂抗体（aPL）与不育症相关性的数据仍在争论中，但总体而言，描述了接受医学辅助生殖技术的患者中aPL发生率增加。在系统性红斑狼疮中，aPL和其他自身抗体（即抗卵母细胞）可导致某些患者的不育。类风湿关节炎患者观察到不孕而不是不孕。这些妇女的特殊身体状况也可以解释这一点。医生不应忘记患者的年龄，这是必须的，以保持他们生孩子的机会。