PREGNANCY ADDS EXTRA CHALLENGES FOR WOMEN WITH IBD

Managing Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis can cause issues for just about everyone, but those concerns may seem minor to a pregnant mom with IBD, who isn't just worried with how she is going to fare with her disease, but how her IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) is going to affect her baby and how the pregnancy is going to affect her IBD. These concerns turn into questions each woman with IBD might ask:    

• Can I get pregnant just as easily?
• Is there anything I can do before I try to get pregnant?
• Can my OB take care of my IBD or do I still have to see my gastroenterologist? 
• Which medicines are safe for the baby? Which aren't?
• What do I need to do about my diet?
• What should I do if the disease flares?
• What if I need a procedure or surgery?
• Will I need a C-section? 
• Can I breastfeed afterward?
• Any other changes for the baby?
• What are the baby's chances of getting IBD?

Fortunately, experts from North America and Europe recently reviewed the world's medical literature and reached an agreement about the answers of most of these questions. Dr. Uma Mahadevan, of Nutrition4IBD's Medical Advisory Board was part of that panel and one of the authors of their Consensus Statement (GC Nguyen and others, Gastroenterology, 2016, pages 734-57). In a series of articles, she helps pregnant moms and women hoping to have a baby understand the issues and the best approach. 

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