Conclusions
Pregnancy is not contraindicated i? either colitis or Crohn’s disease. Indeed, pregnancy outcome is excellent in both diseases. Ulcerative colitics should await quiescent disease before they become pregnant; to a degree Crohn’s disease patients may have to, either because of the disease or associated dyspareunia (surgery may be required for either or both). Patients should be looked after by both a gastroenterologist interested in inflammatory bowel disease and an obstetrician, during pregnancy. Their inflammatory bowel disease should be treated as if they were not pregnant except that surgery should be avoided if possible. There are no medical grounds for therapeutic abortion. Mothers may safely breast feed their infants.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abramson, D., Jankelson, I. R., Milner, L R. 1951. Pregnancy in idiopathic ulcerative colitis. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 61, 121–129.
Banks, B. M., Korelitz, B. I., Setzei, L. 1957. The course of non-specific ulcerative colitis: a review of twenty years’ experience and late results. Gastroenterology 32, 983–1012.
Brooke, B. N. 1979. Dyspareunia: A significant symptom in Crohn’s disease. Lancet i, 1199(c).
Crohn, B. B., Yarnis, H., Korelitz, I. 1956. Regional ileitis complicating pregnancy. Gastroenterology 31, 615–628.
Crohn, B. B., Yarnis, H., Crohn, E. B.et at. 1956. Ulcerative colitis and pregnancy. Gastroenterology 30, 391–403.
deDombal, F. T., Watts, J. M., Watkinson, G.et al. 1965. Ulcerative colitis and pregnancy. Lancet ii, 559–601.
deDombal, F. T., Burton, I. L, Goligher, J. C. 1972. Crohn’s disease and pregnancy. Brit. Med. Jour, iii 550–553.
Donaldson, L. B. 1978. Crohn’s disease; “Its gynec ologicaspect”. Amer. J. Obstet. 131, 196–202.
Fielding, J. F. 1976. Inflammatory bowel disease and pregnancy. Brit. Jour. Hosp. Med. 15, 345–352.
Fielding, J. F., and Cooke, W. T. 1970. Pregnancy and Crohn’s disease. Brit. Med. Jour. ii, 76–77.
Fielding, J. F. 1970. An enquiry into certain aspects of regional enteritis. MD Thesis Nat. Univ. Ire.
Ganchrow, M. I., Benjamin, H. 1975. Inflammatory colorectal disease. Dis. Colon Rectum. 18, 706–709.
Hamilton, P. A., Brown, P., Davies, J. D.et al. 1977. Crohn’s disease; an unusual cause of dyspareunia. Brit. Med. Jour, ii, 101.
Homan, W. P., Thorbjamarson, B. 1976. Crohn’s disease and pregnancy. Arch. Surg. iii, 545–547.
Sowkins, J. 1962. In: Shaw’s Textbook of Gynaecology, 8th Edn., p. 375. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh and London.
Hudson, C.B. 1972. Ileostomy in pregnancy. Proc. Roy. Soc. Med. 65, 281–283.
Järnerot, G., Into-Malmberg, M. B. 1979. Sulphasalazine treatment during breast feeding. Scand. J. Gastroenterol. 14, 896–872.
Levi, A. J., Mendry, W. F. 1979. Sulphasalazine and infertility: a new association? Gut 5, A446.
Martimbeau, P. W., Welch, J. S., Weiland, L. M. 1975. Crohn’s disease and pregnancy. Amer. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 122, 746–749.
Mogadam, M., Dobbins, W. O., Korelitz, B. I.et al. 1981. Pregnancy in inflammatory bowel disease; Effect of sulphasalazine and corticosteroids on fetal outcome. Gastroenterology 80, 72–76.
MacDougall, I. 1975. Ulcerative colitis and pregnancy. Lancet ii, 641–643.
McEwan, M. P. 1972. Ulcerative colitis in pregnancy. Proc. Roy. Soc. Med. 65, 279–281.
Prior, Patricia, Fielding, J. F., Waterhouse, J. Aet al. 1970. Mortality in Crohn’s disease. Lancet i, 1135–1137.
Willoughby, C. P., Truelove, S. C. 1980. Ulcerative Colitis and pregnancy. Gut 21, 469–474.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fielding, J.F. Pregnancy and inflammatory bowel disease. Ir J Med Sci 151, 194–202 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02940180
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02940180