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Pregnancy outcome for women with Crohn's disease: a follow-up study based on linkage between national registries
K Fonager1, H T Sørensen, J Olsen
1The Danish Epidemiology Science Centre at the Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Aarhus.
Insights
Mothers with Crohn's disease had newborns with significantly lower birthweights and an increased risk of preterm birth. Crohn's disease or its treatment may negatively impact fetal growth and development.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Gastroenterology
- Perinatal Medicine
Background:
- Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
- Malabsorption associated with CD can potentially affect fetal development.
- Reproductive outcomes in women with CD require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate birthweight, preterm birth frequency, and other reproductive outcomes in offspring of mothers with Crohn's disease.
- To assess the impact of Crohn's disease on fetal growth and development.
Main Methods:
- A historical registry-based study utilizing Danish national health registries.
- Linkage between the Danish National Registry of Patients and the Danish Medical Birth Registry.
- Inclusion of 510 newborns of mothers with Crohn's disease and 3018 controls (1982-1992).
Main Results:
- Newborns of mothers with Crohn's disease had an average birthweight 185g lower than expected.
- Adjusted analysis revealed significantly lower birthweights (142g and 105g differences).
- Increased risks observed for low birthweight (OR=2.4) and preterm birth (OR=1.6) in Crohn's disease patients.
Conclusions:
- Crohn's disease is associated with reduced birthweight in newborns.
- Findings suggest Crohn's disease or its therapeutic interventions may influence fetal growth.
- Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms and optimize care for pregnant women with Crohn's disease.
Objective:
Crohn's disease, characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation, is sometimes followed by malabsorption, which may interfere with embryogenesis and fetal growth. Therefore we examined birthweight, the frequency of preterm birth, and other reproductive outcomes in the offspring of women with Crohn's disease.
Methods:
We used a historical registry-based study, with linkage between the Danish National Registry of Patients and the Danish Medical Birth Registry. Included were 510 newborns to mothers with Crohn's disease and 3018 controls in the study period from 1982 to 1992.
Results:
The average birthweight of newborns to mothers with Crohn's disease was 185 g, 134 g less than expected for primiparas and multiparas. After adjusting for potential confounders the differences were 142 g (95% confidence interval [CI95%] = 76, 208) and 105 g (CI95% = 37, 173), respectively. The risk of low birthweight was increased in Crohn patients (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4; CI95% = 1.6-3.7), as was the risk of preterm birth (OR = 1.6; CI95% = 1.1-2.3).
Conclusion:
We found a lower birthweight in newborns of patients with Crohn's disease, indicating that Crohn's disease or its treatment may influence fetal growth.