Crohns and Babies?

Hi all. My fiancé and I are getting married in August and would like to start trying to have a family a few months after that. His Crohns was bad from this past March up until July when he had an ileoectomy. Since the surgery, he has been in great health with no G.I. issues and clean bills of health from his doctor (knock on wood!). So we think as long as he stays in remission that this time next year would be a good time to try to start a family, but I’m just curious to hear from some other people who went through this as well and what factors contributed to your decision to start or not. Thanks

Definitely check medications. Some can pose risks or reduce fertility.

Being aware of increased stress from both trying and having a family can be trigger. It shouldn’t stop your plans but he should look out for it and make sure to rest, get exercise, meditate, whatever to manage stress. I believe lack of sleep and stress triggered a flare for me right after my first child was born.

Good luck!

Crohn's shouldn't impact a male's fertility much, when it comes to fathering children. Sometimes, IBD can run in families (maybe 12-25% odds, not guaranteed but possible), so for some of us that might be part of the decision process. If you two have a strong desire to be parents than I would not let his diagnosis hold you back from that dream. Just be aware that there's times his Crohn's will flareup, and surgeries he might have to undergo down the line, and he'll be less able to help out as a consequence thereof. There are times when our crohnic illness gets the best of us, and that's just part of the whole chronic illness gig.

Myself, I chose to be child-free. A personal choice between my wife and I. My IBD diagnosis was not the predominate reason but just one of a number of reasons we chose that path.

There's a lot of IBD parents out there, and they do well. So it truly depends on what you two want.

Cheers!