The effect on the fetus of medications used to treat pregnant inflammatory bowel-disease patients.

Objectives: We reviewed data to investigate the effect of 5-ASA drugs, metronidazole, ciprofloxacin, prednisone, 6-mercaptopurine, azathioprine, and cyclosporine on pregnancy outcomes in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: One hundred and thirteen female patients with a total of 207 documented conceptions were studied. Treatment information included: smoking history (patient and spouse), dates of conception and termination, and outcome of pregnancy (spontaneous abortion, therapeutic abortion, maternal or fetal illness resulting in abortion, premature birth, healthy full-term birth, multiple births, ectopic pregnancy, congenital defects), weight of baby, type of delivery (cesarian section, vaginal), medication history during each trimester (mean dose, maximum dose, frequency).