For 40 years the number of women being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis has been dropping.
That was until 1995 when health professionals reported an unexpected rise.
For 12 years the number of women suffering from the inflammatory disease continued to rise, leading to a study by the Mayo Clinic in America.
The research showed more women were being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, while the number of men suffering from the condition dropped.
Researchers suggest the increase in the figures could be blamed on environmental factors including smoking, a vitamin D deficiency and lower doses of oestrogens in oral contraceptives.
While smoking has been falling among both men and women, the decline among women has been at a slower rate than men, leading researchers to suggest cigarette smoke may be a contributing factor to the upsurge in rheumatoid arthritis among women.
A reduction in the dosage of oestrogen in oral contraceptives could also be having an impact as the hormone offers protection against the development of the condition.
Studies have shown that women who live in countries that get less sunlight, particularly those in the northern hemisphere, are more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis.
This is because the lack of sunlight can cause a deficiency in Vitamin D, a vitamin which protects the body against autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
Although it is virtually impossible to pinpoint one factor that could be responsible for the sudden increase in the disease amongst women, all environmental factors could play a role.
Ensuring you have a healthy, balanced diet is one way to avoid becoming a statistic.
Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease which cannot be cured. The immune system attacks the body’s tissues, particularly around the joints. As a result fluid builds up around the joints causing inflammation and pain.