Pregnancy outcomes in women with inflammatory bowel disease--a population-based cohort study

Our purpose was to assess the frequency of adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with inflammatory bowel disease compared with the general population.

Of all 239,773 pregnant women with single births in Sweden from 1991 to 1992, 756 women with inflammatory bowel disease could be analyzed for late fetal and infant death, preterm birth, low birth weight, small for gestational age, and cesarean section. Logistic regression analyses was used to estimate the odds ratios.

Pregnancies in women with inflammatory bowel disease were associated with an increased risk of preterm birth at < 33 weeks (odds ratio 1.81, 95% confidence interval 1.06 to 3.07) and at 33 to 36 weeks (odds ratio 1.48, 95% confidence interval 1.10 to 1.99); low birth weight < 1500 gm (odds ratio 2.15, 95% confidence interval 1.11 to 4.15) or 1500 to 2499 gm (odds ratio 1.57, 95% confidence interval 1.12 to 2.22); small for gestational age (odds ratio 1.40, 95% confidence interval 0.97 to 2.02); and cesarean section (odds ratio 1.51, 95% confidence interval 1.27 to 1.89).

Inflammatory bowel disease in pregnant women is associated with an increased frequency of adverse pregnancy outcomes.