[Inflammatory bowel disease and pregnancy]

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) can affect women of childbearing potential. There are many issues to consider in female patients with IBD who are contemplating pregnancy, such as influence of the disease on fertility or pregnancy outcome, effect of the gestation on the course of the disease, safety of the drugs and inheritance of the disease in the offspring. It is important to remember that the outcome of the pregnancy is dependent mostly on the activity of the disease at the time of conception and there is no increase of the adverse events in patients with quiescent bowel disease. With few exceptions, majority of medications used in the treatment of IBD are safely used during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This article reviews the most recent knowledge regarding the effects of IBD and their treatment on fertility and pregnancy, therapeutic options and outcomes in patients who are planning pregnancy or who are pregnant or lactating.