General queries of a Crohnnie wanting babies :)

[erinjayee]

Hi All.
I am 26 and have a transphincteric perianal fistula at 11oclock - relatively close exit point near the vagina. And crohns in the stomach, iileum and colon. Im on humira and 6mp.

I guess Im just wondering about when im pregnant (hopefully in the next few years - getting more clucky as time goes by). Can I stay on humira? will it affect my baby/? Can I breastfeed?

Also with a fistula can I have a vaginal birth or would I have to have a Caesar?

Anything else I need to be aware of?

 

[KayleighMeek]

Hi I am 26 and just had my first child in May of this year. I was on cimzia which is similar to humira until around 28 weeks pregnant and then stopped I think it was something to do with it crossing the placenta but I can't remember the exact reason (a lot has happened since then haha). I think you would probably be told something very similar with staying on humira whilst pregnant. I did really well during the entire pregnancy even when I was off the cimzia but had extra scans to check baby was growing which was very reassuring.
I was told that I would be able to breastfeed on cimzia even though in all the information given by the company not to my dr told me it would be fine and for the time I was able to breastfeed I had no issues at all with my daughters health. The only way it has affected her is because I was on immunosuppressants whilst pregnant she wasn't able to have any live vaccinations before 6 months, the only live vaccine is rotavirus before this time so again she isn't missing any of the big vaccines.
With regard to vaginal or csection I would have thought with having a fistula your Dr would recommend a csection but at the end of the day it is your choice and they will be able to go through the risks of both. I had a planned csection as I didn't want to risk any more damage to that area I didn't want to have to risk having a flare after birth and then extra complications from possible tears. I recovered quickly from the csection the first day after was the worst but if you keep on top it with pain killers it's manageable, a week and half after giving birth was back driving after being ok'd by my dr.
The only other thing I can think of at the moment as an extra is that you may need extra folic acid supplements before TTC and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy I can't remember how much extra I had to have but had to have it on prescription from the Dr.
Hope this helps a bit and if you have any other questions I can try and answer them and good luck with TTC