Women and IBD

One of the goals of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Program at the University of Maryland Medical Center is to focus on specialty care for women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

IBD is typically diagnosed at 25 to 35 years of age, and while women are as likely to develop the condition as men, fertility and childbearing concerns often factor into their treatment. In addition to treating IBD, we offer education regarding many aspects of women's gastrointestinal health, and provide management strategies during difficult and life-changing times.

Since many of our patients are of childbearing age, they have questions about fertility, conceiving, intimacy and taking medications during pregnancy. The IBD Program offers resources to address the issues and works closely with the high-risk maternal-fetal medicine group.

The IBD Program offers these unique services for women with IBD:

• Multidisciplinary approach for the care of IBD patients, including expedited referrals to minimally invasive and colorectal surgery
• Specialized imaging and diagnostic techniques
• High risk OB/GYN providers
• Urogynecologist specializing in pelvic floor therapy
• Chromoendoscopy for detection of dysplasia in high risk patients
• Dietician who specializes in short bowel, malabsorption, and IBD nutrition

Pregnancy and IBD

At the IBD Program, we want to ensure suitable treatment and safety for our patients during pregnancy and at the time of delivery. Patients work together with a gastroenterologist, obstetrician, and surgeon to determine the best choices regarding pregnancy.