Will My Condition Flare During Pregnancy?

If the disease is active when you become pregnant, there is high likelihood that it will remain active throughout the pregnancy. However, there is a significant proportion of women who say that they "never felt as well" as they did when they were pregnant. Many of them say that they wish they could figure out how to be pregnant all of the time so that their IBD remains under great control. If the disease is in remission at the beginning of the pregnancy, but becomes active later on during pregnancy, it can be treated as needed with most medications normally used in non-pregnant women, with the exception of methotrexate.

 

Women with IBD are usually able to carry the baby to term, although there does seem to be a slightly higher rate of early or premature delivery in IBD patients, particularly if the disease is active during pregnancy. In addition, there is also a tendency to have babies that are slightly small for their gestational age.

 

Episiotomies are perfectly fine if they avoid an uncontrolled tear into the anal sphincter or rectum. The only time when a Caesarian section might be considered solely because of the IBD and not for obstetrical reasons is in a woman with Crohn's disease who has complicated perianal disease with a lot of inflammation and possible infection around the anus and the vagina. In that particular situation, a Caesarian section is probably the safest way to go.

 

If you have IBD, you can expect to have as much chance as any other woman of having a vaginal delivery. However, it is important for the delivering obstetrician to be aware that you have IBD and to avoid an uncontrolled tear.