IBD and the Pregnant Patient

Pregnancy is possible for women with inflammatory bowel disease, but collaboration is needed between gastroenterologists and obstetricians. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are the two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which are incurable, chronic, idiopathic autoimmune conditions that primarily affect the digestive tract. IBD presents a number of concerns for women during pregnancy, particularly when it comes to managing medications and any related conditions. However, there have been great strides in making pregnancy and birth safer for mothers and their babies. Women with IBD who become pregnant will need to be followed closely by both their gastroenterologists and their obstetricians. Reproductive Choices for Women with IBD In previous years, women with IBD were counseled against becoming pregnant and having children. It was thought that women with Crohn's disease, in particular, may experience an unfavorable outcome, such as premature birth, birth defects, and a worsening of the IBD. It was thought that ulcerative colitis was associated with infertility. It is now known that the risks are not as significant as was once thought, especially when the IBD is managed properly.1 These misperceptions still exist in the public consciousness, and some women with IBD may delay or forgo pregnancy, thinking that their chances of having a healthy baby are low,2 or that they will be passing their disease on to a child. Women with IBD tend to have smaller families than women who do not have IBD, although this may be attributable in part to the racial and educational status of IB