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Crohns disease/pregnancy/miscarriage/meds

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Crohn's Disease
Miscarried to go on to have succesful pregnancies? On any of these medications and had a healthy pregnancy?
yes - 100.0% - 4 votes
no - 0.0% - 0 votes
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Posted 11/3/2007 7:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hello.  I posted on this site once before when I was pregnant (about 3 weeks ago). I just had a miscarriage this past weekend. Has anyone miscarried to go on to a healthy pregnancy? Did your OB think it could be related to Crohns activity? I had a partial bowel obstruction before which did clear up. However, I wonder the likelihood of that causing the miscarriage. I am on Pentasta which seems to not be enough for me to remain stable. However, my high risk OB states that Prednizone, Immuran, and Remicade are all problematic for pregnancy (those are the only medications taht I have either not taken or have worked in the past). He states that prednizone causes cleft palate and gestational blindness in some pregnancies. Immuran causes low birth weight, early babies which may have birth defects. Remicade is so new that there are no studies.

My problem is, that without medication I am never stable (have had 3 surgeries, TPN for 6 mths, the whole nine yards). I  feel like I am in a catch 22 because if I don't take meds I miscarry due to being so sick, but according to my DTR if I do take meds I could end up causing a very sick baby. I would just die if I could never have kids-I don't see my life any other way. I don't want to miscarry again either. I was thinking of taking a low dose of Prednizone-like 10 mg. Any sugestions?

Posted 11/3/2007 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
I'm so sorry to hear about your miscarriage. This disease is so tough. I don't know much about being pregnant and being on these meds, I had my children before we knew I had the disease (although I was very sick when I was pregnant with my daughter and I thank God she was born so healthy).

I know there are many people on here who have had successful pregnancies with and without the meds you are talking about. I'm sure they'll be along shortly.

I know there's no easy answer for you, but whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best.
Posted 11/3/2007 7:38 PM (GMT 0)
I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry for you miscarriage and the emotional pain you are going through. I cannot give you any answers as I had to have a hysterectomy at a very young age due to the ahesions that formed from the surgeries I had for CD. I can only imagine what you are going through and wish you comfort and luck in your future.
Posted 11/3/2007 8:29 PM (GMT 0)
I am so sorry about your miscarriage,I had two,one in between both of my wonderful boys,they are 3 and 7 years old!! I am also a Perinatal Loss Coordinator for the hospital I work at,so if you need to talk more,please just let me know. I did take Prednisone toward the end of my last pregnancy without any problems at all,I also was on Asacol. The pharmacist is also a good place to double check your meds with pregnancy,sort of like a second opinion. MOST early miscarriages are due to genetic problems,meaning when the baby is forming,the cells don't form properly,your OB may have told you that early miscarriages are very common,although they are not easy for most women to deal wtih,including myself!! I could go on and on,so now,I'll just send cyber hugs :-)
Posted 11/3/2007 9:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hugs! there are some women who have had remicade babies on here.
Posted 11/3/2007 10:31 PM (GMT 0)
I am going through the whole baby thing also. I have not become pregnant and can not begin to imagine the pain that you are going through. I was told that if I wanted to have a baby that i would need to stay on Remicade. That is something that i am not sure on. I too can't picture my life without a child. I have started looking into adoption but what i have found is that it looks like a very difficult and expensive decision. I wish I could help you more. I am still up in the air about having a child on remicade. There is just too much unknown about the effects of the drug for me to make a good decision. Hang in there. Hope things start going better for you!
Posted 11/4/2007 4:35 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your responses. Can someone who has had a similar experience with medications/miscarriage please reply. Thanks again!!!
Posted 11/4/2007 5:04 PM (GMT 0)
I believe one person on this board, Stef17, has a multiple Remicade or Imuran babies.  (Not sure which one she was on).  There are also others that have had successful pregnancies while on meds.  Most docs prefer women to stay on meds so they stay healthy while pregnant.  I am so sorry about the miscarriage.

Posted 11/4/2007 10:24 PM (GMT 0)
I have Crohn's disease and am on Asacol and Entocort. My gastro doctor wanted me off the meds before we tried having a child. We did and I did become pregnant and lost it at 8 weeks. My OB/GYN stated those meds at my doses where fine if my Crohns were to flare up during pregnancy. I have found that stress, more than anything keeps my Crohns aggravated. I chalked up the miscarriage as a chromosome problem and not a crohns. I've checked many websites (webmd, mayoclinic) and stated that these meds should only be used clearly as needed during pregnancy. So what do you do? Take them or continue in pain?

My family doesn't fully understand the ramifications of crohn's disease. They feel no stress - no crohns but it doesn't always work that way. I watch what I eat, I exercise and take my meds and I still have bouts of diarrhea. Does anyone else bloat when their crohn's is acting up? I seem to bloat. It is rather embarrassing.

I would not contribute your miscarriage to your meds. I agree, I believe it was a chromosome problem with your pregnancy. Hopefully both of us will become pregnant again and have healthy babies even with crohns.
Posted 11/5/2007 3:16 AM (GMT 0)
I am so very sorry for your loss. I know the pain of a miscarriage and I wish you healing and a speedy recovery. HIGH doses of pred can cause cleft palate. It's very unlikely with low doses. I don't know much about Imuran, but I believe there are a few ladies who have had Imuran babies on the board. Hopefully they will come along. Remicade has been quite successful in keeping me in remission and I would take it while pregnant without hesitation.


I've had 3 miscarriages and 2 babies. I had 2 m/c's before my first child was born. OB and GI did not attribute these to meds (prednisone, asacol, nexium, remicade). I was in a severe flare and was not physically healthy enough to sustain a pregnancy - or at least that is my opinion. Then I got more stable/remission and had 2 healthy kids 27 months apart. Then I got pregnant in Feb of this year and miscarried at 12 weeks. OB said this was very common in the first trimester and cited "chromosomal abnormalities" as the probable cause. He did not believe it to be linked to the meds or the Crohns. It's been 6 months since that m/c and we are ttc #3. This baby will be a remicade baby too. Call me naive, but I am not convinced my meds had anything to do at all with the miscarriages. Is it possible? sure, but in my mind doubtful. I think the main factors were my health at the time of conception AND the actual "product of conception" (embryo/fetus/whichever you prefer to call it) - just because we have an illness and we take medicine doesn't mean that the m/c should be attributed to that. One in every 5 pregnancies ends in miscarriage, so it could have just been that. What does your doc say?
Posted 11/5/2007 3:55 AM (GMT 0)
My OB says that he does not believe that GI problems cause early miscarriage and that he believes that it was a chromosomal abnormality. However, I find it more than quinicidental that I had a partial bowel obstruction the week before I miscarried. My GI says that you really have to be healthy when pregnant, but would not comment more than that. It is confusing because my OB is really against meds for the first 12 weeks-even 10 mg prednizone. However, my GI feels it is better than a flare. Confusing stuff.....

Posted 11/5/2007 1:31 PM (GMT 0)
I have found that my GI's (and I have had 2 different ones due to our moving) have known more than my OB's (mat/fetal med spec). The OB specialist sees a variety of stuff, but it's more common for the GI to see women with CD who are pregnant or who want to become pregnant. When I was pg with my 2nd baby the OB didn't want me on any meds for the first 12 weeks, but for me that is just a very unrealistic thing. I took 10mg of pred, 40mg of nexium, and 3200mg of asacol daily and got the high dose of remicade at 7 weeks pregnant ( and then every 8 weeks after that). My son is as healthy as can be.

I would go with what your GI says on this one. I don't say that in a cavalier way either. I just think the GI knows a bit more. Healthy mom on "safe" (safe enough) meds =healthy baby. If you are in a flare not only are you at risk, but baby is too. Do you have the option of choosing a different OB?
Posted 11/5/2007 3:05 PM (GMT 0)
This is the only High Risk OB in the Phoenix Area and my DTR wants me to see someone High Risk. He was only talking about putting me on a dose of 10 mg. I may have them talk via conference while I am at one of their offices.

Posted 11/5/2007 3:13 PM (GMT 0)
That would be a good idea. It would be GREAT for you if they could consult with each other. That way your GI can explain all that (s)he knows about the meds and pregnant patients. It could just very well be that your OB hasn't dealt with someone like you and would benefit from your GI's experience. In my opinion 10mg of pred is not worth making a stink over. It really isn't. I was on 15mg or 20mg the whole pregnancy with my daughter and her palate is fine too. I know the risk it there, but I really think it applies to high doses. And if you want a baby - it CAN happen. Med free would be great, but for a lot of us that is just not realistic.
Posted 11/5/2007 6:20 PM (GMT 0)
I am also very sorry for your loss.  But there is hope.  I have had crohns since I was 16 (28 now) I have two children and one on the way, I have also had 2 miscarriages both around the 8 week mark.  My first pregnancy with my daughter I was very sick I only gained 15 pounds and refused meds.  Then I had a bowel ressection about 4 years later and went on remicade. I had 2 miscarriages and thought that I would never be able to have a baby again.  After becoming very stable on the remicade(the only med that has really helped me) I talked to my GI and we decided to go off the remicade.  Within 3 months I was pregnant.  I did use the drug glucophage b/c after talking with a fertility specialist about my miscarriages he suggested that my blood sugar was a little high, not diabetic or even close to that, but higher than he liked to see women who are trying to get pregnant.  I went on to have a heathy pregnancy, and went on asocol after the delivery then back on remicade 2 months after the birth.  Then as soon as te remicade started to help again(5 months or so) surprise I am pregnant again.  This one my crohns is flaring more than in my first two pregnancies so I am not being stubborn and I am taking entocort which is okay with my OB so its Ok with me.  So there is hope!  I feel that my communication with both my OB and my GI is what really helped in becoming pregnant (sucessfully).  But with out the knowledge from a fertility specialist I feel I may have kept on miscarring b/c the early miscarriages signal that something is either wrong with the egg or the sperm and genetically something is not right.  In my case my higher blood sugar was effecting my eggs.  I am not saying that the road to a healthy pregnancy is easy or without tears but it is possible even with this disease.  I hope the best for you.
Posted 11/5/2007 8:41 PM (GMT 0)
My gastro recently told me it is more difficult to even get pregnant because of Crohn's Disease. Well if all of you have gotten pregnant, maybe that is not true?

I'm so sorry for your loss, I have no children, and cannot imagine going through that.
Posted 11/5/2007 9:05 PM (GMT 0)
I know 3 people with Crohns other than myself and we all got pregnant first try  (even being sick). Fertility hasn't been an issue with anyone I know. We are all in our early 30's.

Posted 11/5/2007 9:12 PM (GMT 0)
Jenn4dex, I have 3 grown daughters all conceived after my diagnosis. I never had any problems because of my Crohns getting pregnant. So what your GI told is not necessarily true.
Posted 11/5/2007 11:18 PM (GMT 0)
Do you need to see a high risk OB when you are pregnant with CD and on remicade? I do not have one in my area the closest is 2 hours away and so is my GI.
Posted 11/6/2007 2:01 AM (GMT 0)
No, you don't NEED one. But I'm sure a regular OB would recommend one. When I was pregnant the first time I was seeing a regular OB and she was totally ok with me and the CD and taking meds, but she wanted me to consult with a fet/maternal med spec a few times throughout the pregnancy. I ended up miscarrying at 8 weeks, so that didn't happen. Later I moved and when I got pregnant again I just went to a mat/fetal med spec from the get go. I think if your OB is ok with handling your situation, (s)he will let you know.
Posted 11/6/2007 4:13 PM (GMT 0)
I agree. You don't have to, but why not go to someone who knows more about co-occuring problems. If you are on Remicade they may want you to. My friend lives in Atlanta, which is one of the leading areas for Remicade research and she states that the gastro team there is so sure that Remicade will be a category B medication that they stated they would even be comfortable putting their own spouses on it over Immuran or high doses of Prednizone.

Posted 11/6/2007 4:19 PM (GMT 0)
I moved to Atlanta recently and my new GI didn't even blink when I told him I was trying for another baby. He is totally ok with remicade and being pregnant because of what the latest studies have shown.
Posted 11/12/2007 9:46 PM (GMT 0)
I am so excited to find this forum. I am 31, have had Crohn's disease for 13 years and have a 2 year old daughter. All I want to do is have another baby but my Crohn's is not exactly cooperating. I have been on remicade for the better part of 5 years, off of it to have DD. I am curious about research on remicade and pregnancy. Remicade is the only thing that keeps my diesease under control. My first pregnancy was great, but I have not been able to get pregnant for over a year because everytime I go off remicade I have a flare up. Does anyone have any links or info on this research?

One more question, my husband thinks we should see a high-risk doctor this time around, what can a doctor like this do for someone with Crohn's?
Posted 11/13/2007 1:02 AM (GMT 0)
If you want to know more on Remicade it seems like the gastro teams in leading cities of research such as Atlanta and Cleveland Clinic have done more extenisve research. I don't know of a website though. High risk docs know more about potential side effects of medications, they see you more often and do more sonograms to monitor possible malformations of a feuts, they are more prepared for early/small babies and they know in general more about Crohns to better care for you and your baby.

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