Community Forum

Hello,

My husband and I are trying to conceive. I was just diagnosed and I am currently in a remission. I just started taking Pentasa which I know is safe to take while trying to conceive and while pregnant. My GI also wants me to take 6MP now and throught my pregnancy to avoid a flare up. I am going to discuss it with my OB to see what she thinks. However I am wondering if anyone women have been pregnant while on 6MP and how the pregnancy went? Also if the baby was healthy.

I appreciate any insight!

Thanks,

 Reply posted for Stacsea.

Hi,

I am 16 weeks pregnant and am currently on 6MP and Apriso.  I also struggled with whether or not to TTC while on 6MP so I tried other meds such as Humira and Remicade, but neither helped significantly and I even caught meningitis bc they knocked out my immune system so much.  After 2 years of talking to my GI, OBGYN, and specialists who do research in the area, I decided to go back on 6 MP and was able to regain remission.  After 6 months of remission, we TTC and became pregnant the first month.  I have a high risk obgyn now as well as extra ultrasounds and tests, but I have been told by all of them that 6MP does not cause birth defects.  They have also all said that it is very important that I stay in remission.  The one thing that my high risk obgyn said that needs to be monitored is the baby's growth rate to make sure it is growing as it should.  Honestly, this scares me but I am trying to remain positive.  So far, the baby is doing great so that gives me hope.

It is a very stressful decision as to what meds to take, but I felt that the more people I talked to as well as the more that I read about it and a leap of faith helped.  I wish you a healthy pregnancy and the best of luck with IBD!

 Reply posted for Stacsea.

From CCFA's website (http://www.ccfa.org/info/treatment/maintenance):

6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) and azathioprine have been increasingly utilized to take IBD patients off steroids, and to keep them off. They are also beneficial in the treatment of some patients with Crohn's disease who have fistulas. Both of these drugs are effective in treating active IBD and in maintaining remission, and are relatively safe... Although these drugs can be expensive, the required daily dose is low. Patients needing these medications to achieve remission will often suffer a relapse of disease when the medications are stopped; thus, many physicians recommend long-term use as maintenance therapy—in some cases even during pregnancy.

 Reply posted for Stacsea.

It causes birth deformities.  I took it during my second pregnancy after the baby was fully formed and it helped but DO NOT take it in the first several months.  Talk to your OB.  Can't believe your GI suggested it through your entire pregnancy. 

 Reply posted for Stacsea.

I had my daughter 4 years ago and i was on Remicade, 6mp (75 mg) and prilosec...she was healthy and beautiful, no complications whatsoever.  There have been many women who have been on 6mp and pregnant.  My gyno was against it at first but it is better for you to be healthy to be able to carry through a healthy pregnancy...nothing is guarenteed but i am now 14 weeks pregnant with second child and on remicade still and 6mp (25mg) fingers crossed...all is well.  Hope this helps, research it, talk to your doctor about it.  I thought if i stopped that med then i wouldnt be in remission anymore and that would make me weak and unable to provide nutrients and carry a baby inside of me.  Granted i did not breast feed because of the meds i am on and I must say that being pregnant was the healthiest i had every felt during my 15 years of having Crohns disease....good luck to you...

 Reply posted for rachmarc.

I am so sorry to hear about your struggle. My GI and OB had opposite opinions on 6MP during pregnancy, which is common. Apparently 6MP is controversal during pregnancy. I did a lot of research on it and here is what I found and I hope it helps: If you have a bad/severe history of flare-ups and have trouble staying in a remission when not on the drug, then the risk of not being on the drug while pregnant out weigh the risks of being on it. My OB told me she has had several patients that needed to be on 6MP to manage their crohns and their pregnancy went great! Ultimately I am not on 6MP b/c (knock on wood) I still have a mild case of crohns and don't yet require it. However, if I did, I would've been on 6MP while pregnant. There is no evidence that is causes any birth defects in humans, and data that was been studied on it was based on animal data. I wish you lots of luck! I am sure you will conceive and carry to term soon! The importnat thing is being in a full remisson when you conceive, which means you may need to stay on 6MP.

 Reply posted for Stacsea.

I have been struggling with fertility for two years (3 miscarriages in the last 12 months).  I have had Crohn's for almost 10 years.  I have had one resection surgery.  I just got out of the hospital from a particularly severe flare and have been told I have to go back on 6-MP.  My earlier plan was to go off to be 100% safe in pregnancy.  I am having a really hard time with this, but my GI has basically said there is so much inflammation in my pelvis that no baby would survive. He says I have to be healthy first.  I have looked all over CCFA and other sites for info on fetal safety and most are saying it is safe (this is different info than my OB gave me, but things change).  I know I have to be healthy in order to get pregnant, but I am scared about what this might mean for any future babies.  So I am looking for the same information--stories from women who have had healthy babies while on 6-MP.  Thanks!