Pregnancy and IBD treatment: This challenging interplay from a patients' perspective
Received 31 July 2009; received in revised form 2 October 2009; accepted 4 October 2009. published online 07 December 2009.
Abstract
Introduction
Current data suggest that exacerbations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) during pregnancy worsen perinatal outcomes. However, patients' perceptions regarding the interaction between pregnancy and IBD management are unexplored.
Aims
To (1) obtain pregnancy outcome data from local female IBD patients, and (2) to gain insight into patients' understanding of the interaction between IBD and pregnancy, and how this affects medication-taking behaviour.
Methods
Female IBD subjects aged 18–50years were surveyed by questionnaire. This large retrospective study sought patient who reported pregnancy outcomes and examined the relationship between major adverse outcomes, IBD activity and treatment. Subjective data regarding patients' perceptions about IBD management and pregnancy were sought.
Results
219 females were surveyed, 143 completing a questionnaire (68.1%). 342 pregnancies occurred, 298 of which outcome data were available. Overall IBD women reported adverse pregnancy outcome rates comparable to the local population. Major adverse outcomes were more frequent in the subgroup with severe disease during pregnancy (5/14 (35.7%)) than those with inactive disease (14/284 (4.9%)), (OR 6.8 (95% CI 1.7–26.3), p=0.006). Adjusting for disease severity, neither corticosteroid, azathioprine nor 5ASA affected pregnancy outcome. Most female patients (84%) reported (unwarranted) concerns about the effect of IBD medications on pregnancy, free text responses indicating that this was of greater concern than any effect of IBD exacerbation.
Conclusions
Unwarranted fear of adverse medication effect on pregnancy is highly prevalent in women with IBD, yet awareness of the harmful effect of IBD exacerbation during pregnancy is poor. This information gap between patients and their gastroenterologists warrants attention.
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