Mercaptopurine and pregnancy

[vitapavl]

Hello! I'm kinda new to this and so glad I found it. I have so much questions that hopefully I could get some answers to.

I was diagnosed with crohns about 3years ago. I didn't have any insurance or money to start treating it. So I kinda just ignored it and kinda thought it would "go away" obviously it didn't. I've been trying to conceive for about a year. And well.. No luck. So I went to the dr. And he prescribed mercaptopurine. He told me I'd probably be able to conceive because it'll keep me in remission. But it may cause birth defects and or miscarriages.

Has anyone ever took this medication? What were your side effects? Did it help you at all? Also were you pregnant or tried to get pregnant? If so how did it go for you?

 

[Johnnysmom]

My son is on 6mp and he was prescribed a dose that caused me to cut and handle the pills daily. I was pregnant at the time so I asked his GI about whether this was an issue for me. He said to wear gloves while cutting but I shouldn't be concerned as many women who are pregnant take 6mp through their pregnancy. My son's nurse (who has crohn's) was in the room and she said she took 6mp through all her pregnancy's.

I think you being in good health while pregnant is probably an important factor when weighing the risks vs. benefits in deciding to take meds. Have you gotten any stats on chances of birth defects? I think this would heavily influence my decision. I would be willing to live with some risk but there would be a point for me that the risks would outweigh the benefits. I would at least try it now and see if it can get you healthy and in remission, when and if you get pregnant you can decide if it's worth the risk.

6mp has been a miracle for my son.

 

[vitapavl]

It's just such a hard decision. Some people are telling me to just take it and see what happens, and some people are saying that it sounds dangerous. The medication says "pregnant people should not even breathe the dust" but a lot of people are saying that I should just take it until I get pregnant than stop once I find out I'm pregnant. But will I start flaring if I, all of a sudden stop taking the medication. Would I flare? And would there be a possibility that I could have a miscarriage?

I'm glad it's working for your son. That's great!

 

[Johnnysmom]

I think you have to weigh the risk versus the benefits. Certainly having active Crohn's disease impairs your health, nutrition intake, and ultimately your unborn baby's health. So there are benefits to taking the meds, but there are risks too. I think for me it would depend on my current health. Do you trust your GI or OBGYN? Have they been able to give you advice? I know they would see the risks/benefits in relation to many patients. I am sure they would be able to give you some good information. I always ask my GI what decision they would make if it were their child. If you ask, they will generally give you their honest opinion and why they feel that way.

Good luck, parenthood is wonderful, I am sure you will figure all of this out.

 

[andreagillespieuk]

I have been on 6mp for about 7 years and its kept me well when previously i flared all the time. I've also just found out i'm pregnant i'm currently 6 weeks. I totally know where you're coming from i'm on all sorts of meds all of which say in the fine print you shouldn't use during pregnancy so its terrifying.

I have done lots of research online and had conversations with my consultant and IBD nurses and they tell me that legally the companies that make the drugs have to put warnings on their medication to cover their own backs. The most important part is to make sure you are well. Statistically being on 6MP and being well puts your chance of miscarriage to a slight risk of increased miscarriage, being on nothing and being unwell or flaring greatly increases risk of miscarriage