Pregnancy - how to make the choice with crohns

[beckyboo]

Hi

I have never joined a forum before but I am desperate to talk to some of the ladies out there in the same position.

I have had crohns since I was 10 and I am now 22. With this disease I have always felt I have needed to make decisions before I normally would have and pregnancy is currently at the front of my mind.

I had a bowel resection a few years ago after having a pretty tough time through my teens. Unfortunately shortly after this I had to have secondary surgery as my bowel attached to my overt causing a cyst. This has given me concerns about my fertility on top of my crohns. I have been told by clinicians I should start thinking about having children before I am into my 30's. I am not sure if this is the right thing for me but equally if I did have problems in the future I am not sure I could forgive myself for not trying earlier. Equally I am very lucky that my crohns is currently stable. I have been told the most sensible thing to do is have children when I am OK and with crohns you never know how long this will last.

I would love to talk to someone who is going though this and making big decisions they may not normally have made.

Thanks all.

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

Hi and welcome to the forum! :welcome: I'm afraid that the decision of whether or not to have kids of your own is always a hard one. It wasn't easy on my husband and I either. Honestly, I would be talking with my doctors about this too.

If at all possible, if you do decide to get pregnant it'd be best for you and baby if you happened to be healthy when you got pregnant. It'd also be good to know the risks of being pregnant, the possibility of being hospitalized or bed ridden or other questions you may have. Anymore, there is a whole lot of info on the internet as well. But, there are some wonderful people on here to talk with too. Good luck on your choices and feel free to pm me as well. :hug:

 

[LindaS]

If you feel you're in a place where you want to have children, it is better to get pregnant when you're in remission rather than in active disease. You have a better chance of having a healthier pregnancy when you start out in remission.

 

[Nette]

Hi, I am new to the forum. I was diagnosed when I was 16 and was in remission a few years later. I had my first daughter when I was 21 and my second daughter when I was 24. It was hard because I was young, didn't have a lot of money and my first daughter was not planned, but I had no Crohns pains. Now I am 34 and my husband and I have been talking about more kids now that we are stable but now my Crohns is very active and painful and kids are not an option, I can't even go to work most days. At the end of the day it is your decision, but having kids while your healthy can be difficult so imagine when flare ups come. At times I do wish I would have had another child 4 years ago instead of waiting.

 

[Lam123]

I agree with previous posts. I had my son 4 years ago when in remission and I am so glad I didn't wait. My disease is now more active and it would be a lot more difficult to get pregnant now. One of the best decisions I ever made.