Internal medicine
-
Objective To investigate the clinical course of ulcerative colitis (UC) during pregnancy, focusing on their mutual influence. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 58 patients with UC who had 73 pregnancies and 3 patients with newly developed UC during pregnancy. We recorded the rate of relapse of UC; the relationship between medication use and UC relapse during pregnancy; treatment for relapse; and the incidence of pregnancy, childbirth, and newborn abnormalities. ⋯ In two of the three patients with new-onset UC, UC was severe and required intensive care; however, the pregnancies continued uneventfully. Conclusion Although the progress of pregnancies complicated by UC was mostly uneventful, discontinuing medication carries the risk of UC relapse. Thus, appropriate management of medical treatments for UC during pregnancy is important.