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concerned mother


Thu, December 11, 2008 5:51 PM

 My daughter just told me that she is 5 weeks pregnant, which I was very happy for her. But my concern is that  her husband has crohn's disease. Will this have an effect on their child? Is this something that her doctor needs to monitor while she is pregnant? I do not know what types of medication he is on, but I do know that his is not severe at this point. It does effect his life, but not the the extreme. Can anyone give me advice PLEASE! thank you.

FPO cccherries
Joined Dec 11, 2008

Sun, January 04, 2009 1:00 AM

 Reply posted for cccherries.

Hi there!  Congratulations to you!  I have CD and was diagnosed just before my husband and I celebrated our third anniversary in July '07.  We're now heading towards our 5th anniversary and with my sister giving birth to my first niece this past June, I've been feeling the baby itch myself.  I know that having this disease, I'll know be considered a high-risk pregnancy, but feel very confident in my doctors.  I'm currently on steroids, which is not a medication to be on if I want to become pregnant because it's a class C according to the FDA (greater potential of being passed from the mother's system into the baby's during pregnancy and through breast milk).  Once I'm confident that I can stay healthy after I'm off the steroids, we'll consider trying to get pregnant.  I think there are more concerns of which medications a woman would be taking if she were to get pregnant than if a woman were to become pregnant by a man taking medication for Crohn's. 

There are brochures you can receive from the CCFA or if you have further concerns, I encourage you to ask you daughter and son-in-law about what they've learned of being pregnant in relation to her husband's CD.  Other posters have replied with some figures regarding the chances of the child having CD also.  Genetics plays a factor, but only to some degree.  For example, I'm the only one in my family who has IBD.

I hope this helps and I hope you daughter has a smooth pregnancy.  I'm hoping I follow in my sister's foot-steps with a first baby delivery in 4 hours!!

Take  care,
Jen

FPO jenb2004
Joined Sep 6, 2008

Mon, December 22, 2008 1:00 AM

 Reply posted for cccherries.

My 7 year old son was recently diagnosed with Crohns and we have no family history on either side for any IBD diseases. 

FPO loving mother
Joined Nov 28, 2008

Sun, December 21, 2008 1:00 AM

 Reply posted for cccherries.

I have been diagnosed with CD for 9 years.  during this time, my wife and I made 3 beautiful healhy boys.  I was concerned about having children because I did not want them to be exposed to Crohn's.  There is only a slight increase in chances that they will develop the disease compared to "normal" population.  I prayed alot and God gave me three handsome kids who are the light of my life.

FPO juiceman
Joined Dec 21, 2008

Tue, December 16, 2008 1:00 AM

 Reply posted for cccherries.

I have read in several places that if one parent has Crohns or UC, the child would have a 9% risk of getting those diseases versus a 1% average population risk, so overall still very small chance of the child being ill with those issues.  I hope this helps you.

FPO nickrystal
Joined Nov 7, 2008

Fri, December 12, 2008 11:53 PM

 Reply posted for cccherries.

cccherries - Though there appears to be several genes that have been recently discovered that are related to Crohn's, I have seen nothing in the literature that says a woman whose husband has Crohn's needs any special monitoring during pregnancy.  I have Crohn's, have two adult children, neither of whom have been diagnosed with it.  Have your daughter alert her doctor that Crohn's is in the family so that it is in her medical record.  In the meantime, I think you can feel comfortable that all will go well with your daughter's pregnancy.  Enjoy the thought of becoming a grandparent!  Congratulations! - Bob

FPO rjb10345
Joined Nov 23, 2008

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