If I have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is pregnancy safe for me?

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  1. NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
     

    Some studies suggest that fertility may be decreased after an ileoanal pouch procedure, but this by no means suggests that women who have undergone this procedure can't have children. Indeed, many woman of child-bearing age have spontaneously conceived and given birth successfully after this procedure. It is possible that pelvic scarring may be the cause of this decreased fertility, and therefore the current laparoscopic techniques are attractive in that they reduce the amount of internal scarring.

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    Some studies suggest that fertility may be decreased after an ileoanal pouch procedure, but this by no means suggests that women who have undergone this procedure can't have children. Indeed, many woman of child-bearing age have spontaneously... More
  2. Riverside Health System
     

    You should talk with your doctor before getting pregnant. If you think you might be pregnant, call your doctor right away. Some of the medicines used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can harm the growing fetus.

    If possible, your disease should be in remission for 6 months before becoming pregnant. It is also best if you have not started a new treatment or are taking corticosteroids. If you are already pregnant, you should continue taking your medicines as your doctor has told you to take them. If you stop taking your medicines and your disease flares, it may be hard to get it back under control.

    In some cases, IBD gets better during pregnancy. This is because of changes in the immune system and hormone levels that occur during pregnancy. Even so, you shouldn't get pregnant as a way of treating your IBD. That is better done with medicines and perhaps surgery.

    This answer is based on source information from the National Women's Health Information Center.

    More Related Answers from Riverside Health System
    You should talk with your doctor before getting pregnant. If you think you might be pregnant, call your doctor right away. Some of the medicines used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can harm the growing fetus. If possible, your disease... More