[Pregnancy and inflammatory bowel disease]

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)--Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis--affects frequently the women in their childbearing years with concerns about both on pregnancy and evolution of the IBD. Important issues concerning a pregnant woman with IBD include the effect of pregnancy on the disease, and, conversely, the effect of IBD on pregnancy and inheritance of IBD in the offspring. Adverse fetal outcomes are not increased when IBD is inactive; however, women with active disease incur a greater risk of premature birth. Most of women with active IBD at the time of contraception have continued or worsening disease activity during pregnancy. Most medications for IBD are safe during pregnancy, with notable exceptions. A key principle of management is that active disease, not therapy, poses the greatest risk to pregnancy.