Inflammatory bowel disease and pregnancy.

The peak age ranges for pregnancy and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) coincide, and many women develop IBD during their reproductive years. This contribution reviews the major studies on the subject, and is sub-divided into two broad considerations: the effects of the disease on fertility, pregnancy and other factors related to the puerperium, and, conversely, the effects of pregnancy and childbirth on the disease: its natural history and recent surgical treatment options, namely pouch anatomy and function. A systematic review of the literature from 1950 to the present was undertaken using Medline and the keywords inflammatory bowel disease and pregnancy.