Fertility and reproduction in a tertiary IBD centre: the Oxford experience

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) commonly affects women during their childbearing years. Published data suggest that observed low fertility rates in IBD are due to voluntary childlessness (VC)1, and quiescent IBD does not confer decreased fertility2. Active IBD at conception is reportedly associated with higher rates of preterm birth, low birth weight and caesarean section3,4. Reproductive choices and outcomes relating to fertility and pregnancy remain important concerns in IBD populations. The Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) NHS Foundation Trust is a tertiary centre with >8500 deliveries per yr and >3500 IBD patients. All pregnant IBD patients are referred to the Silver Star obstetric medical team. The Oxford IBD service aims to impart accurate pregnancy information, and provides a comprehensive information booklet. We present our recent reproductive outcomes in IBD.