Fertility and Pregnancy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) commonly affect women in their reproductive years; 25% of women with IBD become pregnant after the diagnosis. The relation of IBD to reproductive function often manifests in issues concerning fertility, antepartum pregnancy management, mode of delivery, and lactation as these can be influenced by disease activity, medications, perianal disease, and previous ileoanal pouch surgery. As disease location, activity, and complications can vary between patients, an individualized approach with multidisciplinary management is recommended. Pregnancy outcomes, recommended medication, nursing, managing IBD flares during pregnancy, and immune pathways are also discussed. Figures show issues discussed in preconception counseling and pregnancy guidelines. Tables list medication recommendations, Food and Drug Administration categories for the use of medications in pregnancy, adverse pregnancy outcomes PIANO registry, pregnancy and biological recommendations, thiopurine recommendations, safety of biologics in pregnancy, biologic guidelines, and sick pregnant patient recommendations. This review contains 2 highly rendered figures, 8 tables, and 29 references.