RA diagnosis on the rise. Environment?

[cavandad]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100526111324.htm

Interesting article.  Talks about birth control, vitamin D, smoking, oral health.

[lissa80]

I've heard similar things about the oral contraceptives theory as well. Interesting.

[cavandad]

It's interesting to me.... I'm sure women got RA before contraceptives.  My great grandmother had it.  What do contraceptives do that makes it better?

[lissa80]

I've read that it can stabalize hormones to make RA symptoms less severe. Hormone fluctuation can cause RA to flare up which is why after having a baby or breastfeeding women can get bad flareups. It's not the only thing I'm sure which triggers RA symptoms. The hormones in contraceptives nowdays have lower doses of hormones than they used to so lots of times the results are less effective.