Getting pregnant with Crohn's Disease?

[ajmcco20]

I've have Crohns disease for 12 years. I have had 2 bowel resection surgeries and my crohns has been in remission for 3 years. I do still have chronic pain in my abdomen that my doctor can't seem to figure out. They also tell me that I have gastroparesis. I am also on Entyvio to keep my Crohns from coming back. My husband and I are thinking about having a baby but I don't know if I can get pregnant or how dangerous it would be to be pregnant (for me and the baby). I have had a lot of CT scans in my life and I have been on a lot of different medications. I just want to know if it's possible to have a healthy pregnancy and what steps do I need to take to make that happen?

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

I don't know the steps you need to take for this to happen. But, I've heard many times the ratio of those of us ladies with IBD & pregnancy. During pregnancy, 1/3 get better, 1/3 get worse and 1/3 stay the same. I don't know about you, but I've been told that I'd be the 1/3 that got worse. Not to scare you, but there are many things to think about before deciding to get pregnant.

Here's some info, there's quite a bit here though. But, I hope this helps some.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4836574

 

[Ranchmom]

I had 2 successful pregnancies and prior to getting pregnant was on Remicade and had 3 resections in a 4 year period. I did have to do IVF as it was discovered during my last resection that my tubes had been damaged from adhesions in my abdomen (from my Crohns). I also had to wait 6 months after coming off Remicade to be considered for IVF but since I wasn't getting any relief from it anyway, stopping it did not make much difference to how I felt. I was lucky enough to get pregnant first IVF cycle and my disease went into full remission during my pregnancy. I had no Crohns related complications during my pregnancy and did not require anything other than the odd week on prednisone for a minor flare between having my first baby & doing our second IVF cycle 15 months later. I was diagnosed at 20 and in the first 5 years had 3 resections & multiple hospital stays. Since having my kids (youngest is 11) I have not been admitted to hospital or required another surgery. Things have taken a turn for the worse in the last 2 years but for 9 years my disease was mild and easily maintained by treating flares with prednisone and then Humira for 6 years until it stopped working 2 years ago. I have no idea if the severity of my disease being so much less after my pregncies is a coincidence or being pregnant changed something in my body but I am greatful for the mostly healthy years I had to enjoy my kids while they were young.

Having Crohns does not mean you should give up on having a baby. Of course everyone is different and for some, it is maybe not possible but if it's important to you, it's worth talking to a high risk obgyn and your gastroenterologist.