Conception outcomes and opinions about pregnancy for men with inflammatory bowel disease
Received 10 September 2009; received in revised form 8 October 2009; accepted 22 October 2009. published online 30 November 2009.
Abstract
Background and aims
Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who want to have children are anxious to receive medical treatment. The consensus regarding pregnancy has not been surveyed for male IBD patients. The present study was investigated opinions among male IBD patients about pregnancy, conception and neonatal outcomes for partners.
Methods
Subjects comprised 364 of 386 patients enrolled (94.3%). Subjects received a questionnaire regarding their opinions and thoughts about pregnancy. The course of partner's conceptions and presence of neonatal malformations was also surveyed.
Results
The rate of live births for partners of male IBD patients was 91.6% (219/239). Most patients with CD (29/33; 88%) had their children after surgery had been performed. The rate of expressing hopes to have a child tended to be higher for patients with UC (93/128; 73%) than for patients with CD (61/97; 63%; p=0.21). Furthermore, the rate of hesitation was significantly higher in CD patients (34/107; 32%) than in UC patients (38/188; 20%; p=0.03).Patients considered that safety of medication (51%) and maintenance of remission (41%) was more important than receiving no treatment for IBD (19%) when planning to conceive. Mesalamine and infliximab were more favorable at conception than sulfasalazine and immunomodulators.
Conclusions
This is the first report to survey the thinking of male IBD patients regarding pregnancy. Most male IBD patients considered “maintaining remission” as important at conception. Our study provides important information for IBD patients and for the treating physician when planning to conceive.
aDivision of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, Japan
bDepartment of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, Keio University, Japan
cDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan
Corresponding author. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan. Tel./fax: +81 3 3341 3631.
ABSTRACT