[Medical Q&A] Will femoral head necrosis affect women's fertility?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Wang Jian, Chief Physician, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University

Female patients with femoral head necrosis can become pregnant and give birth.

Femoral head necrosis is not a genetic disease and will not affect the next generation; femoral head necrosis is a disease of the hip joint that will not affect the pelvis. Even if a normal birth is not possible, a cesarean section can be performed. Therefore, female patients with femoral head necrosis can become pregnant and give birth. However, female patients with femoral head necrosis should choose the right time to become pregnant. Avoid pregnancy during femoral head necrosis, otherwise it will not only increase the patient's pain, but also have the following risks: ① Due to hip pain and limited joint movement, female patients with femoral head necrosis cannot move normally during pregnancy like other healthy women, and need to reduce exercise and limit activities. ② During fetal development, the uterus constantly compresses the pelvic venous plexus, causing congestion of the hip (internal and external iliac veins), increased intramedullary pressure, and easily aggravated femoral head necrosis. ③ As the gestational age increases, the weight of pregnant women will gradually increase, the burden on the hip joint will increase, and the pressure on the femoral head will also increase, which is easy to aggravate femoral head necrosis, and it is not suitable to use drugs for treatment before and during pregnancy.

To sum up, female patients with femoral head necrosis should be treated early, and after the disease is under control, choose the right time to become pregnant and give birth.