Ulcerative colitis and pregnancy

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis(UC) commonly affects young adults, many of whom wish to have children themselves. Women with ulcerative colitis who are pregnant have many concerns, such as the effect of the gestational period on UC, the effect of UC on the pregnancy, and the safety of drugs used to control the disease. We suggested that there was no significant difference in fertility between the patient with UC and the general population. The pregnancy rates in the UC patients were similar to those in the general population. As compared with the patients with an inactive bowel disease, those with an active disease at the beginning of pregnancy had a little higher risk of spontaneous abortion and premature delivery. The clinical course of UC during pregnancy was correlated with the disease activity at the time of conception. Women with UC should be advised preferably to conceive at the time when their bowel disease is in an inactive stage. Medical treatment with sulphasalazine, 5-Aminosalicylic Acid and corticosteroids appeared to have no obvious deleterious effects on the fetus and new-born child.