Dealing With Crohn's During Pregnancy
Crohn's Disease and Pregnancy
For Elizabeth Kelly, that meant more than eating right and exercising it meant bringing her Crohns Disease under control. I have always had the attitude that were going to figure this out. The disease is not going to own me. Instead I own the disease, and it wont stop me from doing what I want to do, says Kelly. Crohns Disease, along with Ulcerative Colitits, are conditions of the digestive tract known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). About 1-million Americans have IBD which can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. While both men and women are equally susceptible to IBD, symptoms usually start between the ages of 20 and 40 which can be particularly problematic for women. Because it affects them in their childbearing years, women need to know when it is safe to get pregnant, says Dr. Jacqueline Wolf , a national expert on IBD and pregnancy and a physician in the Division of Gastroenterology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center . According to Dr. Wolf, women who have their disease under control at the time of conception are less likely to have complications, reducing the chance of more active disease during their pregnancy. Twenty years ago, women with this disease would be told that they shouldn't have children or that this would definitely affect their ability to have children, says Wolf. this hyperlink http://www.wcvb.com/Sponsors/bethisrael/dealing-with-chrons-during-pregnancy/-/9239880/21548242/-/g6ujebz/-/index.html
But some treatments -- such as sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) -- can affect a man's fertility. So men with Crohns who hope to become fathers should talk to their doctors about changing medication. If you take methotrexate, your doctor will suggest you stop before or early in your pregnancy. The drug can harm the baby. Men, too, should stop taking the drug several months before conception . If you are taking steroids, your doctor may suggest you wait to become pregnant. If you've had surgery for Crohn's you can still have a healthy pregnancy, but it may be harder to get pregnant. If you are thinking about having surgery, talk to your doctor. You may want to put off surgery until after your pregnancy. During Pregnancy When you're pregnant, have regular visits with both your OB-GYN and your gastroenterologist to monitor your baby's health and your Crohn's. You should see a specialist in maternal-fetal medicine, because pregnancy with Crohn's is considered high risk. Some women say their Crohn's symptoms actually improve when they're pregnant and they have fewer flares. Medicines Make sure your doctors are aware of all the medications you are taking. If you're on a drug treatment plan that works for you, they may suggest you stay on it, but they may also suggest some changes to keep you and your baby safe. Tell your doctor if you take steroids, immunosuppressives, biologics, or even antibiotics, or anti-diarrhea drugs. Youll need to stop certain types of these drugs. Some medications, like sulfasalazine and other drugs in the aminosalicylate class, are considered safe while you're pregnant or breastfeeding . As with any woman who is pregnant, you should consider adding folic acid supplements to your diet. consultant http://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/crohns-disease/crohns-disease-pregnancy
For Elizabeth Kelly, that meant more than eating right and exercising it meant bringing her Crohns Disease under control. I have always had the attitude that were going to figure this out. The disease is not going to own me. Instead I own the disease, and it wont stop me from doing what I want to do, says Kelly. Crohns Disease, along with Ulcerative Colitits, are conditions of the digestive tract known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). About 1-million Americans have IBD which can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. While both men and women are equally susceptible to IBD, symptoms usually start between the ages of 20 and 40 which can be particularly problematic for women. Because it affects them in their childbearing years, women need to know when it is safe to get pregnant, says Dr. Jacqueline Wolf , a national expert on IBD and pregnancy and a physician in the Division of Gastroenterology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center . According to Dr. Wolf, women who have their disease under control at the time of conception are less likely to have complications, reducing the chance of more active disease during their pregnancy. Twenty years ago, women with this disease would be told that they shouldn't have children or that this would definitely affect their ability to have children, says Wolf. this hyperlink http://www.wcvb.com/Sponsors/bethisrael/dealing-with-chrons-during-pregnancy/-/9239880/21548242/-/g6ujebz/-/index.html
But some treatments -- such as sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) -- can affect a man's fertility. So men with Crohns who hope to become fathers should talk to their doctors about changing medication. If you take methotrexate, your doctor will suggest you stop before or early in your pregnancy. The drug can harm the baby. Men, too, should stop taking the drug several months before conception . If you are taking steroids, your doctor may suggest you wait to become pregnant. If you've had surgery for Crohn's you can still have a healthy pregnancy, but it may be harder to get pregnant. If you are thinking about having surgery, talk to your doctor. You may want to put off surgery until after your pregnancy. During Pregnancy When you're pregnant, have regular visits with both your OB-GYN and your gastroenterologist to monitor your baby's health and your Crohn's. You should see a specialist in maternal-fetal medicine, because pregnancy with Crohn's is considered high risk. Some women say their Crohn's symptoms actually improve when they're pregnant and they have fewer flares. Medicines Make sure your doctors are aware of all the medications you are taking. If you're on a drug treatment plan that works for you, they may suggest you stay on it, but they may also suggest some changes to keep you and your baby safe. Tell your doctor if you take steroids, immunosuppressives, biologics, or even antibiotics, or anti-diarrhea drugs. Youll need to stop certain types of these drugs. Some medications, like sulfasalazine and other drugs in the aminosalicylate class, are considered safe while you're pregnant or breastfeeding . As with any woman who is pregnant, you should consider adding folic acid supplements to your diet. consultant http://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/crohns-disease/crohns-disease-pregnancy
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