Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 9, 2026
Dynamic Adhesion Assay for the Functional Analysis of Anti-adhesion Therapies in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Published on: September 20, 2018
Reproductive Health and Medication Concerns for Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Thematic and Quantitative
Michelle Sophie Keller1,2,3, Sasan Mosadeghi4, Erica R Cohen5
1Department of Health Policy and Management, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
Background:
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects many individuals of reproductive age. Most IBD medications are safe to use during pregnancy and breastfeeding; however, observational studies find that women with IBD have higher rates of voluntary childlessness due to fears about medication use during pregnancy. Understanding why and how individuals with IBD make decisions about medication adherence during important reproductive periods can help clinicians address patient fears about medication use.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to gain a more thorough understanding of how individuals taking IBD medications during key reproductive periods make decisions about their medication use.
Methods:
We collected posts from 3000 social media sites posted over a 3-year period and analyzed the posts using qualitative descriptive content analysis. The first level of analysis, open coding, identified individual concepts present in the social media posts. We subsequently created a codebook from significant or frequently occurring codes in the data. After creating the codebook, we reviewed the data and coded using our focused codes. We organized the focused codes into larger thematic categories.
Results:
We identified 7 main themes in 1818 social media posts. Individuals used social media to (1) seek advice about medication use related to reproductive health (13.92%, 252/1818); (2) express beliefs about the safety of IBD therapies (7.43%, 135/1818); (3) discuss personal experiences with medication use (16.72%, 304/1818); (4) articulate fears and anxieties about the safety of IBD therapies (11.55%, 210/1818); (5) discuss physician-patient relationships (3.14%, 57/1818); (6) address concerns around conception, infertility, and IBD medications (17.38%, 316/1818); and (7) talk about IBD symptoms during and after pregnancy and breastfeeding periods (11.33%, 206/1818).
Conclusions:
Beliefs around medication safety play an important role in whether individuals with IBD decide to take medications during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Having a better understanding about why patients stop or refuse to take certain medications during key reproductive periods may allow clinicians to address specific beliefs and attitudes during office visits.
More Related Videos
07:10Author Spotlight: Development and Application of a Canine IBD Gut-on-a-Chip Model for 3D Intestinal Morphogenesis Studies
Published on: February 9, 2024
09:04DNBS/TNBS Colitis Models: Providing Insights Into Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Effects of Dietary Fat
Published on: February 27, 2014
Related Concept Videos
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease II: Crohn's Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease, commonly known as IBD, refers to a collection of disorders that lead to persistent inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The two types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, which impacts the colon, and Crohn's disease, which can involve any part of the gastrointestinal segment.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a chronic, systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that predominantly affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is marked by...
01:27Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...
01:21Inflammatory Bowel Disease V: Surgical Management
Here are some common surgical interventions for IBD:
01:29Inflammatory Bowel Disease IV: Pharmacological Management
Pharmacologic...
01:30Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...
01:30Irritable Bowel Syndrome III: Medical and Nursing Management