Pregnancy outcomes of women with inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

Background: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) generally affect women of childbearing age. In this study we investigated the effects of IBD on pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes and on newborns by comparing with a healthy control group. Methods: Data on the productive history were collected both in the question-and-answer format, and also from hospital records. The control group was made up of healthy volunteers of the same age group, who were living in the same region and who had a similar sociocultural structure. Control group data were also collected by asking questions on reproductive history in the question-and-answer format, and also from the obstetrical medical records. Results: The study was conducted on a total of 545 women, 219 of whom had ulcerative colitis (UC), 85 Crohn's disease (CD) and 241 healthy controls. The mean gestational age, birth weight and birth height of subjects in UC group was found to be significantly lower compared to the control group (p<0.05). Preterm birth was more common in UC and CD group, compared to the control group (p<0.01). No statistically significant difference was present between the groups with regard to abortion, and congenital anomalies. Cesarean section rate was higher in both UC and CD group than the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Gestation age, birth weight and height were low, whereas the preterm birth rate was higher in UC group. The rate of cesarean section was higher in both UC and CD groups, in those, who were diagnosed with disease during pregnancy, and also in women who became pregnant after disease diagnosis.