Rheumatoid arthritis after childbirth can occur in women who have had a history of rheumatoid arthritis before pregnancy and even in previously healthy pregnant women. Many patients with rheumatoid arthritis wonder about the impact of the disease on pregnancy. However, most symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in pregnant women are milder, or even disappear, and only recur within three months after pregnancy. Notably, rheumatoid arthritis does not decrease a woman's chances of getting pregnant.