UC and Pregnancy

Can anyone fill me in on their experiences or a friend/family member's experience with pregnancy and ulcerative colitis?

I've heard that if you're going to flare, it will most often be during the first trimester of the pregnancy.  I've also heard that if you conceive while in a flare, then you will most likely remain in the flare throughout the entire pregnancy.  What have you all experienced?

I've been flaring for about 80% of the time over the past two and half years.  My husband and I would love to start a family soon, but I have a lot of concerns about how UC will affect the nature of pregnancy. 

I've discussed this with my GI doc, and he seems to have very limited info.  I plan on talking to my Ob/Gyn doc about this soon.

Any info/feedback would be appreciated!  Thanks!

I was first diagnosed with uc in 2002 when I was 7 months pregnant. It was a horrible flare and I was hospitalized. That being said ...once I was put on prednisone and asacol I was fine for the rest of my pregnancy and both medications are safe to take while pregnant. My daughter turned out just fine. I have also heard from other uc'ers that pregnancy helped them go into remission...so you never know what will happen. My cousin was in a flare prior to getting pregnant but kept on a low prednisone dose through her pregnancy and did just fine.  Good luck!!!

Hi there,

I was having mild mild symptoms when we conceived our son and it threw me into a flare that landed me in the hospital for five weeks. I don't say this to scare you but to inform you. I wish I'd known the risk of being thrown into a flare when getting pregnant, otherwise I would have gotten that under control first. I ended up on Remicade, Prednisone and getting weekly blood transfusions. But eight months later, my healthy boy was born. He was born 4 weeks early, which is a risk of being pregnant and having UC - that you'll go early. I've never felt so good as I did when I was breastfeeding though, man I wish I could have kept at it, but I stopped in order to start back up on Remicade. Feel free to send me any questions, I'm happy to answer them.

CC

Hi Denise. I've had 2 little ones while I've had UC. I didn't know I had UC with my first. I never had any tummy troubles at all during that pregnancy. My second pregnancy came within 2 months of my official diagnosis and I was in a flare. My GI said not to get pregnant until the flare was under control, oops! My flare stayed about the same until I took a short course of pred in my 1st trimester (safe for pregnancy and breastfeeding) then I went into remission and completely forgot about my UC. My OB said that having UC didn't put me at any higher risk than other women. Your OB may want to do an Ultrasound in the 3rd trimester to check for growth if you are having issues with D. If you are concerned about passing on UC, my GI said that the chances of children getting it from a parent are only 15%, 50% if both parents have IBD. I have brestfed both of my little ones in hopes that will help their intestinal flora so hopefully they won't develop IBD in the future. Pregnancy was great for my UC and I hope it is the same for you!

Hi Denise,

My experience reflects what I lot of people have said, I was in a mild flare when I concieved my daughter three years ago, but it was so new to me I honestly didn't realize I was sick. 1st trimester was okay, but my 2nd was terrible, flared the whole time, but prednisone did help a LOT, but pred has a whole lot of crazy side effects, some of which(high blood sugar and at time high blood pressure) make OBs nervous so I was watched carefully. My daughter was born perfectly healthy, though I did flare again post partum and off and on for about awhile before I went on Imuran(had to stop breastfeeding for that). When I talked to my GI about getting pregnant again(different doc than when I was preg the first time), he also was very nonchalant about it, which made me nervous. This is the same guy who 'forgot' I told him I was breastfeeding when he put me on Imuran and I flipped out on him, so the trust was not so high there. I switched drs in the practice and was told to wait at least 6 months after going into remission before getting pregnant again. Do everything you can to be in remission before getting pregnant--if you think you are nervous now, imagine being pregnant and being in a flare, its beyond scary to think your little one may not be growing well. Many meds are okay during pregnancy like prednisone, asacol/lialda/sulfasalazine and apparently it is okay now to be on Imuran or remicade as well, but you will be watched like a hawk.

I'm pregnant now with my 2nd--12 weeks--and am doing well so far. I am hoping I will be one of those whose UC is actually helped during pregnancy!!

Good luck to you and don't be afraid to go to another GI for info on this, maybe one who works more with women..your peace of mind is worth it!

You have to take the chance. You might even shock your body into a remission.

I was diagnosed with UC when i was two weeks pregnant at 38. My body went into shock that I was pregnant and I developed the lovely disease.

When i had my colonoscopy at two weeks pregnant, they found out that the larger intestine was slightly bruised.

I haven't had any flares in 5 years. But I really don't know what a flare is.

I havea a mucousy bowel movement almost everyday, but I can eat whatever I want and I don't have abdominal pain or diarahea.

i take nine pentasa a day and sometimes an enema at night, which helps with the mucousy bowel movement.

Good luck

Hi

I flared up after 6 months pregnant with both my children, after the first I managed to get it under control and into full remission after i had had the baby but the second pregnancy I struggled to get it under control, my baby is 1 and I have gone down hill as far as the uc is concerned im currently on 40mg prednisalone and 3g salofalk and finally these past 2 days my bm's have halved! So hopefully i am on my way to getting better.

I hope it all goes well for you x

ps ,,,, my friend has uc also and she goes into remission throughout pregnancy and flares after.