LEADING ARTICLE

Inflammatory bowel disease in pregnancy

E M Alstead¹, C Nelson-Piercy²

¹ Bart's and the London School of Medicine, and Whipps Cross University Hospital, London, UK
² Guys and St Thomas's Hospital Trust, and Whipps Cross University Hospital, London, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
E M Alstead, Digestive Disease Research Centre, Bart's and the Royal London School of Medicine, Whitechapel, London E1 2AD, UK;
e.m.alstead{at}mds.qmw.ac.uk

Women and men with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) frequently express concerns about fertility and pregnancy. The evidence suggests that women with IBD can expect to have a normal pregnancy outcome provided they have inactive disease. They have an increased risk of having a small or premature baby but the majority will have a normal outcome of pregnancy. The commonly used drugs appear to be safe and well tolerated in pregnancy. There remains a need for further studies in this area to help in the difficult decisions about the management of IBD around the time of conception and during pregnancy.

Keywords: inflammatory bowel disease; pregnancy; 5-aminosalicylate drugs

Abbreviations: IBD, inflammatory bowel disease; UC, ulcerative colitis; CD, Crohn's disease; 5-ASAs, 5-aminosalicylate drugs

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