I have UC now for 5 yrs I think. I still have my colon, but my UC has been labled as refractory (I hope I said that right) I have taken everything possible. Started Remicade over a year ago and I am still on it and it seems to be working. My husband takes remicaide as well/

I found out I was pregnant in April. 1st Trimester was bumpy. UC didn't know which way to go. It got kind of scarry because I was so worried about the baby and the effects meds and disease will have on it.

I was just about to be put on 10mg of pred when my disease took an excellent turn for the better as I entered my 2nd Trimester. I have NEVER felt this good. Complete formed stools NO urgency at all. I can even eat Salad in moderation. I don't worry at stop lights or in traffic. I don't even think twice when I am going somewhere.

My husband and I were and still are on remicade when we conceived. We were caught off guard by the pregnancy or we would have stopped Remicade for 6mos then tried to conceive. But it didn't happen that way.

So as you can imagine, we are feeling a bit anxiouse still.

July 5th we had our first ultrasound. The baby look good to us. Of course we found out the sex and it is a boy. So far the Dr. seems very pleased with everything.

I know I read an article somewhere a long time ago about UC patients and Crhons patients finding remission while pregnant..... Now will this be a remission even after the baby is born? Do you think that the remission has something to do with the baby being a boy and possibly having different chromosoems than me????

These are just a few questions running through my mind at the time.

I know this was so long winded and the next update, I will just attach to this one and keep it going.

Thank for everything. I am glad you are here.

Dawn

Wonderful, wonderful news!!! You must be quite happy.

There would be no link between the sex of the baby and your remission. IBD disease course and pregnancy is variable from person to person, but tends to be similar in subsequent pregnancies in the same person. It is felt to be a response to the pregnancy hormones. My OB/GYN used to say that there are three things that can happen with IBD during pregnancy- get better, get worse, or stay the same. This means that there is no rule on this. For me, it meant a mild flare. For others, it means a serious flare. For you, I guess it means remission. Maybe you can just stay pregnant all the time!! OK, that's sort of rediculous, isn't it? But, maybe birth control pills will help you stay in remission after delivery and lactation?

Jan

Great news. I don't know whether the sex of the baby and your good health during pregnancy has correlation but I did read an article (I beleive it was on the CCFA website) that there is a theory when we are pregnant our bodies immune system naturally becomes somewhat suppressed so that the fetus, which is read as a "foreign body" by our bdoy's system is not rejected. This can help people with autoimmune diseases because we have overactive immune systems. My friend with multiple sclerosis did great in pregnancy as well. The article also went on to say that there is a theory that when the baby is more similar to the mother's genetic make up, thus more of a match to the mother, there is a higher rate of miscarriage because our immune systems don't suppress as much.
I know I am not getting the theory completely right in retelling it but that was somewhat the import of the article. It may still be on that website but it was a while ago.
It was interesting to me at the time because I went throught a series of very very early miscarriages (usually around the 5th week mark) but then went on to have two successful pregnancies and wondered if my uc had anything to do with the miscarriages.
Just wanted to also add that you should be careful in the post partum period and watch for flare ups--maybe even talk to your dr. about upping your meds as a preventative measure. My uc was generally okay during my pregnancies but I had horrible flareups approximately a month after the birth of both my boys. The last flare ending in surgery. Certainly I am not saying that it will happen to you but it might be worth discussing with your drs.
Good luck and enjoy your good health and pregnancy!

I too was on remicade when we conceived...but it wasn't working for me so we stopped soon after. I had a horrible 1st trimester and an amazingly lovely 2nd trimester. I was told that many women flare after giving birth. My OB suggested that I ask my GI if he would recommend giving me a bolbous(sp?) of prednisone upon delivering. This is in the hope that the steroid shot will help prevent a flare up. Not proven but done all the same.

I was also told that the immune system is surpressed during pregnancy and that the less genetically like you the baby is the better the pregnancy is supposed to be. My husband concluded that we should get pregnant as often as possible. We'll have to see about that one.

Congratulations on your little boy...when are you due?

Thank you all for the really great advice.

I will say that I am worried about after I have the baby and what is going to happen. I am scarred that I will be sick and not be able to take good care of him. I worry a lot by the way....

I am due 11/26/07

I see my GI, Baby Dr and Have remicade in the next couple of weeks, so I will give you an update.

Thanks again for everything. I am really glad that this group is here.

Dawn

I promissed I would keep everyone up to date on how everything went. I hope that someone can find this helpfull if finding themselves in the same situation.

I had a perfect pregnancy considering everything.

Ian was born on 11/30/07 7 lbs 6oz 20.5inches long.
He is perfectly healthy.

I did have a hard delivery and ended up with a c-section not becuase of disease or medications, but because I was not built to give birth vaginally. We did not find that out until they operated on me. But I am doing fine now. It is a long recovery...

But I am so happy that my little man is ok.

Congratulations on your baby and I hope you continue to feeling well.