Abstract

Four patients with Crohn's disease were treated with an elemental diet during pregnancy. Two had active disease and two also had symptoms of small intestinal obstruction. All went into a clinical remission within a few days of starting treatment. Treatment periods varied from two to four weeks, and were followed by elemental diet as a supplement to normal food in two patients. At term, all delivered a healthy infant. These patients indicate that elemental diet is a safe form of treatment for Crohn's disease during pregnancy and may be considered as an alternative to conventional drug treatments which carry a theoretical risk of teratogenesis.