Crohns and fertility

[BLM1031]

Hello everyone! New to this forum, trying out my first post!

The one thing that is concerning me the most at this point in my life is wondering if I will have any problems conceiving a child and/or have problems carrying a healthy child full term.

Just a little history of my personal story:
I was diagnosed with Crohns disease at the age of 12, and I am now 25. Throughout these years, I have been on Prednisone, Pentasa, Humira, and 6-MP. I had my first bowel resection at the age of 23. Currently, I am taking 2000 mg of Pentasa daily and just now starting on 50 mg of 6mp again daily. Just had my first colonoscopy since my surgery last year about 3 weeks ago; She said everything looked "good", and my Crohn's was back but very "mild".

Ever since I've graduated high school, I've become more skeptical of the medications we are basically "forced" to take because of all of the harsh (mainly long-term) side effects that I have heard about. What are the chances of actually getting these? Who knows. But the thought of cancer or infertility really frightens me (naturally). I am a restorative nursing coordinator and am knowledgeable in healthcare, but if I am totally into holistic medicine! What kills me the most about this disease is that I can't achieve a healthy lifestyle with complimentary medicine and non-pharmaceutical techniques.

We are planning on having children before the age of 30. I have researched that women that are planning on conceiving should try to be in remission prior to lessen complications. It is worrying me that I am probably currently in the best health that I will be in my 20's just because I just had 6 inches of the active Crohn's taken out a year ago. But just because I may be physically ready, there are other things that I would like to achieve in these next few years before I make the decision to have a child.

So my plan is to continue with the low dose of 6mp, continue Pentasa, eat healthy... and just focus on staying in the best health until I'm ready.

I would love to hear anyone share their stories about trying to conceive...
any complications? what medications were you on prior and during pregnancy? I may be freaking out over nothing, but it would be encouraging to hear some success stories. I've always wanted to have kids!

Thanks :ybiggrin:

 

[KayleighMeek]

Hi BLM

Sorry it has taken a little while for a reply just thought I would share my experience,
I am 25 and I am currently 18 weeks pregnant with my first and taking cimzia. I knew that I wanted children before I was 30 and now is the right time for us because my health is doing ok and I am running out of medication choices. I didn't want to have to get sick and go on a trial where I wouldn't be able to try and start a family and get stuck with never feeling safe to start.
There are so many medications that are considered safe during pregnancy now and if you have only been on aza it means you have a lot more options if that did stop working for you. The side effects can be scary but having crohns going untreated can cause so many problems to and can be life threatening in itself but it's something you have to weigh up for yourself. I still don't like taking medication but my quality of life is so much better on them it is worth the very small risk for me.
It only took us 8/9 months of trying before we conceived and I think we were very lucky I was expecting it to take a lot longer, I know people that have no health problems that it has taken 1+ year to fall pregnant. I tried not to worry about the fertility side of things too much and just took the approach of we will cross they bridge if it came to it, I don't like worrying about problems that are just possibilities but my partner was very worried about it all (and still worries about everything now haha)
If you have any questions I can try and help but hope this makes you feel better and that you can start a family and have crohns