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experiences of pregnancy and active crohns

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 11/27/2018 7:23 AM (GMT 0)
Hi All,
I am hoping to start trying for a baby in the coming year, but my crohns is active and I've a fistula, often very aneamic etc. All sorts of fun stuff! However, in the 15 years I've had crohns, I've only been in remission once and my biological clock is ticking so I can't wait around for that remission unicorn!

I live overseas but would need to return back to the UK towards the latter stages of pregnancy and have the baby there. What are people's experiences of pregnancy with active crohn's? How frequent are doctor appointments and scans etc? at what month do people start to get really sick? (if you do at all), did people have to go on bed rest and from when? When did you have to stop working?

Trying to get an idea about the logistics of it all, and when I would have to move back to the UK and potentially stop working, so I can plan financially for it...

Many thanks!
Posted 11/27/2018 8:49 AM (GMT 0)
The best outcomes - in terms of the health of the baby - are when the mother is in remission before and during pregnancy. Doctors *really* want the mother to be in remission before getting pregnant (not always possible, I understand).

Where is your Crohn's located? What meds have you tried?
Posted 11/27/2018 10:01 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Beave,
Thanks for your message. Would love to hear of your experiences of being pregnant with active crohn's! Please feel free to share!
Posted 11/27/2018 10:37 AM (GMT 0)
Well, I'm a guy, so I don't exactly have any personal experience with pregnancy. smile
But I've attended several talks given by prominent gastroenterologists on the subject of pregnancy & IBD.
Posted 11/27/2018 10:47 AM (GMT 0)
haha! Ah I see! My questions are really about the specifics of the practicalities and logistics of women's experiences with their pregnancies in terms of working, when they went on mat leave, how a high risk pregnancy is different from a normal pregnancy in terms of frequency of scans, doctors appointments etc, rather than about the health outcome side of pregnancy with active crohns, but thanks anyway!
Posted 11/27/2018 11:18 AM (GMT 0)
Hi! I just posted something similar if you want to read it’s jist below your post! Anyway, in my first pregnancy I had just come off long term use of Imuran and was sort of symptom free (had bleeding here and there but no urgency etc) has a great pregnancy however did stay in close touch with my GI and did lots of tests. I still had bleeding throughout the pregnancy and it wasn’t in remission but I was okay luckily. Full term baby and healthy!
This time am pregnant again and coneceived when in a flare - whoops. It has been pretty hellish. I’m 14 weeks now and have had urgency, bleeding, cramping etc for the whole first trimester. Just started cortisone today and will need an iron infusion! Hopefully baby will be fine I just need to be monitored more and do what’s right for my body. Healthy mum- healthy bub!
Good luck! If you have a good doctor and you’re in medication, there really shouldn’t be a problem being pregnant ? We can’t always wait forever or for remission- we arent all that lucky (I’m not anyway ha) Do what you feel is right, you know your body best I suppose! In saying that I think doctors opinion first!
Posted 11/27/2018 11:25 AM (GMT 0)
Delighted to hear that you had a healthy full-term baby on the last one! Sorry to hear that you are flaring but hopefully things will improve and the new baby will be happy and healthy too! smile Plus I love iron infusions, instant energy! So that is great that you are getting one.

My questions are:
How frequent are doctor appointments and scans etc?
did you have to go on bed rest at all from your last one and from when?
When did you have to stop working with your last baby? Are you working now? If so, when do you think you will go on mat leave- do people tend to go on mat leave (or sick leave and then mat leave) during a high risk pregnancy?
Posted 11/27/2018 11:30 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks smile
Well although these are great questions I don’t think I can answer for you! Basically this all depends on you and your Obstetrician and the healthcare system where you live. I’m in Australia, so it may differ.
I was not considered high risk and treated as a normal pregnancy. I felt fine so worked until 36 weeks. My Ob told me she hasn’t had any experience with IBD patients who were considered high risk so that’s good news for you.
It really is very personal and each pregnancy is different! You would have to just see how you are and what your doctor thinks. I do recommend perhaps finding an Ob you like and going for a pre-pregnancy appointment to discuss all of this as that’s what I did smile
All the best
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