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Remicade while pregnant

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Posted 6/20/2010 5:55 AM (GMT 0)

I am trying to make the decision to start remicade. I wanted to know if any of the moms on here used remicade while pregnant. I am not planning on becoming pregnant for a few more years but want to be sure this is the right choice since I can't use remicade, grt off to have a child then get back on it. I haven't found much info the suggests you can't take remicade while prego but that seems odd to me since you aren't even supposed to take asprin when your prego. Anyone know of any actuall research on the topic? Thanks!

Posted 6/20/2010 2:28 PM (GMT 0)
We have had a few mom's on the forum who have used meds from Pentasa, Imuran/6mp, Remicade and Humira. All delivered healthy babies. The thought is a healthy mom, produces a healthy baby. The one med I know you can't use is Methotrexate. Inflamed is due to give birth any minute, and Stef17 is either trying to get pregnant again or already is, can't remember. Good luck!
Posted 6/20/2010 5:59 PM (GMT 0)
I have 2 & 1/3 remicade babies. :) I say 1/3 because I took remi in the first trimester with baby #3, then switched to Humira. Anyway, if you do a search on this site you'll find a lot of threads on remicade and pregnancy. Remicade is shown to cross the placenta somewhere between 30-32 weeks in the pregnancy. So, most docs recommend getting one last pregnancy-infusion around that time and then waiting until after delivery to get the next infusion. That information wasn't known when I had my first child 6 years ago and I had infusions every 5 weeks of that pregnancy. She's healthy and smart and a great kid. No negative side effects at all. I also breastfed. The molecule is essentially too large to pass through to the milk. I don't have any links to the info on when remicade crosses the placenta but I'm sure you can google it. As far as breastfeeding goes, if you go to ibreastfeeding.com you can get info from Dr. Thomas Hale. he's an expert on medications and mother's milk. I don't know what other info you'd like to know, but I'm happy to answer any questions I can.
Posted 6/21/2010 9:13 PM (GMT 0)
I have to say that this website is so awesome! I have been on Remicade for 2 years and just found out I am 5 weeks pregnant. :) (been trying for quite some time!) I knew that Remicade is a B drug, but still have those lingering concerns in the back of my mind. I looked up information through google, and it said the same, there are no increased risks. It is really nice and quite comforting to have mothers that have first hand experience. I understand every pregnancy and person is different, but it really makes me feel confident! I know that I am going to become an active user of this site, and I will definitaly share my pregnancy stories also! Thank you!!
Posted 6/21/2010 9:59 PM (GMT 0)
I was using Remicade when I became pregnant. The medicine was not working and I had built up antibodies. I switched to Humira after the first trimester. I haven't noticed anything yet with the humira, but it has gotten no worse. I am halfway there and can't wait to meet the little one. I would recommend the remicade. It was a miracle drug while it lasted for me. Good luck and congrats to all the mom's to be!!
Posted 6/27/2010 5:02 AM (GMT 0)
Try listening to this webcast a friend from church just passed on to me: http://programs.rmei.com/CCFA241VL/start.html

It talks a lot about pregnancy and Crohn's.

I have been on remicade for 2 years and am currently 6 months pregnant.

*activated your link*

Post Edited By Moderator (Nanners) : 6/27/2010 8:36:22 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/30/2010 12:03 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone- I just found out I am 5wks pregnant.  I have 2 kids, had 3 miscarriages in the last 1 1/2yrs- so I am very nervous- but to make it all worse- I have also been taking remicade every 8weeks for almost a year now- against my will.  So I guess I will have to continue during this pregnancy.  I'm scared for miscarriage again, flaring, & taking remicade so early & throughout the pregnancy.  Anyone gone through a similar situation that can share some advice? 

Thankyou

UC for 12 yrs

 

Posted 7/1/2010 3:39 PM (GMT 0)
Jen30 -- it's natural to be worried and concerned. You have to remember though, that for your body to carry the pregnancy you have to take care of yourself first. Taking your meds will help with that. It's hard to do and scary, but the risks of unctrlled CD are generally worse than the meds. Still, I know the worry. I was only on Pentasa both pregnancies. It's mild, so I didn't worry. Still, my son is in the NICU (group B strep unrelated to CD, my delivery was just too fast for the antibiotics) and it's hard for me to take the meds whole nursing him. I know they are fine, I took them while nursing his sister. It's just natural to worry.

Think of it this way -- from conception through exclusively breastfeeding your body creates a d nourishes every cell of your baby. That's hard work and an amazing feat. You need to take care of yourself, to be able to do it. Plus, like Stef said remicade doesn't cross early and doesn't pass into breast milk. Try to relax, pamper yourself and enjoy this pregnancy as best you can.
Posted 7/1/2010 5:53 PM (GMT 0)
Jen, remicade doesn't cross the placenta until 30-32 weeks in the pregnancy, so you don't have to worry that it has made matters "worse". It's actually better that you are on a medication that can control your illness and keep you from flaring, thus reducing your chances of miscarriage. I can understand how worried you must be. I have 3 kids, 3 miscarriages (not in that order) so I can relate. But your best hope is to be healthy and as stable as possible and if remicade helps you achieve that, then good. I'm curious though - How are you taking remicade against your will? As a patient you have the right to refuse any treatment you don't want to take.
Posted 7/2/2010 2:09 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for your thoughts.  I don't  think Remicade completely helps me.  For the past year now I've been on it every 8 weeks & have had more problems than ever before.  Always loose bms, leading to very mild flares.  The dr says it's better than ful blown flares- but I was only having them maybe 2 times a year & getting them under control with prednisone.  I had remicade on 1/18- 2 weeks later then had extreme loose bms until

2 weeks after 4/26 infusion.  Then 3 wks ago, the extreme loose bms started agin, leading to very mild flare, & remicade yesterday.  It is just constantly up & down on it- so that is why I don't even want to take it- I'd rather be how I was on the prednisone.  The dr doesn't want to hear it. He thinks it reducing my flares.  But it has totally changed my bms over the last year. 

Thanks- Jen

Posted 7/2/2010 10:12 PM (GMT 0)
I didn't start it until I was breastfeeding, but I did take it then. There were 2 other women I met while doing Remicade who had been pregnant while on it. The nurse told me there were quite a few Remicade babies at the center
Posted 7/4/2010 6:16 PM (GMT 0)
pam222-- how was surgery- sometimes i wonder if should get surgery- but i'm afraid of what happens after--no colon- no going back--  why do you take remicade now if you had surgery?  Jen
Posted 7/11/2010 1:15 PM (GMT 0)
I was on remicade my entire pregnancy have a healthy little guy.  I can say in my case the Dr's opted to give me remicade in week 37 due to symptoms I was having as the OB wanted me to deliver at week 38 or later.  Just have your GI and OB work together if needed to keep you healthy and the baby healthly.   
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