pregnancy and crohns

so hi im a crohns patient dx since 2003, already had a resection in 2004.  Crohns is coming back in the last 2 years, i finally went and saw my GI last week to discuss having children and returning to medications as well.  i havent been on any meds except the occasional prednisone streaks and flagyl, cipro, bentyl, and elavil.  i'm a remicade veteran and the GI just mentioned cimzia.  I'm just worried, me and my husband want to start trying to get pregnant, and besides the horrible thoughts of giving this crappy disease to my children, im worried about the meds.  The GI said that they have had plenty of pregnant woman come to their office and have seen them have healthier pregnancies while on the varying crohns meds, bc it reduces their symptoms of crohns, and their babies have come out fine, beautiful, and healthy.  I'm just looking for some of yall with these experiences so i have an idea of what to do or what to look for.  I havent started any meds yet i'm just kinda procrastinating, worried obviously.

Post Edited By Moderator (Nanners) : 4/21/2010 7:34:59 AM (GMT-6)

I started having symptoms of UC in Oct 08, when I was 6 months pregnant with our first. She unfortunately died in utero at 32 weeks from a cord accident (however my GI has mentioned that since I was having symptoms it could have been associated with her death) p.s. trying not to scare you!! I was dx with UC in Feb 09 and was put on 20 mg pred and lialda. That basically got the edge off. 1 month later I found out we were expecting again. After much research we (OB, GI, hubby and I) decided that I needed to be healthy and we continued my meds. She was born healthy and happy at 36 weeks (1 week early due to some complications from gestational diabetes from the prednisone) However I did have a few complications with her, I had frequent UTI's (I think I had at least 10) and then the GD. I was watched like a hawk for the first 20 weeks by my GI just because of the UC, after that it was my OB. Then in Dec 09 was dx with Crohns and had to stop breastfeeding as I was put on imuran, but she did have 3 1/2 months and another month was stored in the freezer.

One thing to remember, keep yourself healthy! The baby will get all its nutrients before you get any. Meds are okay to take. good luck with everything!

I'm happily and healthily pregnant with number two right now (only 7 weeks left to go!!). This is my second healthy and uneventful pregnancy in two years. The best thing is to go in already in remission -- so stop procrastinating on those meds.

I was/am in remission with both pregnancies and have remained the remission with just Pentasa. Stronger meds (remicade, humira, pred) are also safe. Several moms here have used them and there's a lot of research if you look and talk to your GI. The rule is healthy mom = healthy baby. It's really true. If you're sick and run down how can your body grow and nurture a baby? The risk of being sick is worse and scarier than most meds. Start out healthy and you're ahead of the game. They also say that 1/3 of women get better, 1/3 stay the same, and 1/3 get worse while pregnant. I think staying on meds helps this third category for sure. Both of my pregnancies have been heavenly. I had/have tons of energy. With my daughter I never had any morning sickness either. This boy caused me a little of that, which made me nervous, but it disappeared and it's been smooth sailing since. My daughter was born perfect and is way ahead of all of her milestones, so I have no worries about being on meds. I breast fed her for 15 months too, until I was getting too pregnant with this guy to keep it up. This boy is a little different. I swear, he's like being on pred. I have the pred/pregsomnia and crazies a bit. That may be part of what's keeping me so healthy though.

Anyway, I understand your worries. I had them too. Just wanted to give you a positive reassuring story. I loved being pregnant so much the first time, I couldn't wait to try for number two. I think I will miss it again when this one is over (trying to talk hubby into 4!). Pregnancy and, more so, children are the best gift. Do your homework, but once you start the journey, relax and enjoy it, or at least appreciate the amazing thing even our sick bodies can do.

I have a six week old and was healthy  through out the pregnancy.  I was on Remicade the entire time and delivered a healthy baby.  My GI highly recommended being in pretty stable health when getting pregnant, which I was as Remicade was controlling my Crohns.  I can say during pregnancy my crohns was actually the best it has ever been.  It seems to be starting to flare a bit now, but I understand that tends to be the norm post delivery.

Good luck...

Hi, I have to say that when I read your saying the desease is coming back a bit I thought "that´s not good".

I was told by my GI the same thing-they´ve had women pregnant on all sorts of meds-Pentasa, Prednisone, Entocort, Imuran if needed and the babies were fine and the moms stayed ok in the pregnancy. My GI also made sure I was as healthy as possible when starting to try for a baby because then there is a chance the good health stays with you during pregnancy.
Alsos heard of few moms who decided not to take the meds and then had to be given even stronger stuff to keep them going cause they flared and apent a big part og their pregnancy in the hospital.

I can understand that you are looking fotward to having a baby-so was I, but had to have a surgery to remove a narrowing that could mean problems if it became a blockage during pregnancy and wait some time after that-together that was 2 years of waiting and then I was allowed to give it a try.
It was definitely worth it, had a great pregnancy and have a lovely, healthy daugter (was taking Pentasa and Entocort the whole pregnancy).

I just want to say don´t rush it, listen to your doc and take your meds, healthy mum (or as healthy as you get in our case) has a healthy baby.
Good luck !

I have a 13 month old, completely healthy and all that. There is alot of varying opinions from different docs on what is good and what is not to take during pregnancy, but from what I've seen around here I think all of us have been on SOMETHING while pregnant and had healthy wonderful babies! Just make sure your GI and OB/gyno are all in the loop, perhaps a family doc too and things will go okay. Good luck if you do decide to try!
on another note, a few of us DID try the 'no meds' while pregnant route and felt fine but as soon as baby was out went into a flare with the fact there was no meds in our system to stop it and THAT leads to alot worse then just taking the meds too as a mom having a flare well...lets just say it gets REALLY hard to care for baby proper..so stay on your meds the whole time, its healthier in the end for you and baby both! (and easier on your family when they dont have to take care of your baby while you flare)
Also too, being with crohns and some of us don't absord nutrients too well I for sure made sure to take a prenatal vitamin (I took Materna) and I found too I felt really good while on those, helped me and baby both.