| Abstrakt: |
Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease often occur in the younger population, which means they are likely to affect women of child-bearing age. Infliximab and adalimumab, both biological therapies, are being increasingly used to treat moderate-to-severe inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) when response to conventional therapy has been lost. Current practice contraindicates their use during pregnancy, as teratogenic effects are not fully known. Incidental use and the ongoing Crohn's Therapy, Resource, Evaluation and Assessment Tool (TREAT) registry and Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS) studies provide evidence to support their use. This article reviews available literature to provide an insight for healthcare professionals into the risks and benefits of the use of biological therapy during pregnancy for the IBD patient, thus allowing for thorough and thoughtful counselling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
