HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Pregnancy and UC

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 9/2/2014 8:00 PM (GMT 0)
For the ladies out there...

I'm 29 and my boyfriend and I have been discussing our future recently. Our two year plan is to get married and have kids. With that said, I obviously have so many reservations when it comes to getting pregnant with this Ulcerative Colitis. Not only for the terrible effects the disease has on our bodies , but also with medicine. I'm currently on Humira and when I try for a baby I DO NOT want to be on any medication. However when I recently went med free I was in the hospital twice, very ill and had to go on high doses of predisone. I'm so confused. None of my docs even want to talk about pregnancy! They say, well you really want to discuss this when you're on all these meds? Hmm, yes! Doc's can be so frustrating at times. Possibly should I see an OBGYN ?

What experiences did you all have? Did you have to see a high risk pregnancy doctor? I'm so scared and all I want it a healthy baby.

I hope everyone is doing and feeling well. xoxo
Posted 9/2/2014 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
There are ways to manage your disease while pregnant that don't require you to go off your meds. I hope you will learn about this before you insist that you will only get pregnant med-free. Look at the forums at infantrisk.org for good information about medications and pregnancy and mother's milk, too.

Biologic meds like Humira and Remicade do not cross the placenta.
Posted 9/2/2014 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
I had a completely healthy pregnancy and only saw a "regular" OB (not high-risk), but I was only on mesalamine-based meds, not a biologic like Humira. That said, most docs figure it's worse to be in a severe flare than to be on meds while pregnant.

Remicade does cross the placenta in the third trimester, but I'm not sure about Humira.

Given that you're on Humira, I'd probably start with talking to a OBGYN and would probably also consult with a high risk OBGYN as well. They'd be more likely to know about Humira.
Posted 9/3/2014 1:37 PM (GMT 0)
I too was only on Asacol throughout my pregnancy. I had a healthy baby girl and a very good pregnancy. I was assigned to a consultant because of having UC but was quickly discharged after my pregnancy was considered pretty normal as I was not flaring and was taking a low dose of asacol. However this time around when we decide to try for baby number 2 I shall be on Azathioprine (Imuran). I too have reservations but have been told by my gastro doc and nurse that it is safe to take throughout pregnancy and even whilst breastfeeding.

It is not ideal to take any meds whilst pregnant but most ladies I know are having to take something or other whilst pregnant. Its better to have a healthy pregnancy. My baby was a healthy 7 pounds and 4 ounces and was two weeks overdue!

Sometimes you have to trust the medical professionals and just go for it! In your case, try to find someone that can help you. have you heard of the BabyCenter website? I have the app and they have a forum on there for ladies that are pregnant/conceiving with UC and Crohns. I am on the forum too even though not pregnant. There are many ladies on there that are pregnant and on Humira. You can ask them for advice.
Posted 9/3/2014 7:23 PM (GMT 0)
I am not pregnant but have UC and had 2 pregnancies. My first, a girl, I had gone off all meds and my UC was pretty bad. But I refused to be on anything. By my second, I again didn't want to be on any meds but had NO symptoms at all. Neither of my pregnancies did I find out what I was having. When I had no flares with my second pregnancy, I was convinced I was having a boy. My husband thought I secretly found out what I was having. I didn't. Well, I had a boy and never experienced any symptoms, flares, nothing! It was a wonderful 9 months! Of course, everything came back soon after I had him. I always wondered why it happened. Maybe something with the male hormones, who knows. Maybe you will get luck and experience the same. Good luck...
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply