Monday, February 13, 2012

Thursday, November 12, 2009 ArmyWife7 asks

Q: Is it safe for me to still be on Remicade while I'm pregnant and breastfeeding?

My husband and I are wanting to TTC when he comes home from Afghanistan. I am currently on Remicade (for Crohn's) and seem to be doing fairly well on it. I know Remicade is a Catergory B..... but that doesn't help solve my problem. I get mixed answers from different doctors. Should I or should I not still take Remicade while I'm pregnant and breastfeeding? Why isn't there a study on this?

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Answers (1)
11/12/09 12:39pm

Hi Wife7,

 

Here are threee views on Remicade and pregnancy. There are more, you can feel free to do an internet search and read through as many as you like. 

 

I have UC and have not carried a pregnancy to term. Whether that is because of the UC or other factors has never been determined. But, I was always told that women who have active IBD are in a higher risk category for pregnancy than when disease is inactive. This is for a variety of reasons like malnutrition, possible anemia, etc.

 

I'd suggest talking to an OB/GYN who is famiiar with IBD about this instead of your Gastroenterologist, and possibly even a Neonatologist.

 

There are no straight forward answers when it comes to Rx meds. OTC meds, or even herbal meds. In some cases it will come down to what risks are you willing to take. And what will keep you healthy enough to carry a pregnancy to term. All hard decisions, but ones that most likely you and your husband will have to make instead of a doctor being able to give you a definitive answer.

 

Best of luck,

Elizabeth

 

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/538036

 

http://ibdcrohns.about.com/od/remicade/a/remicadefaq.htm

 

http://www.remicade.com/remicade/crohns/crohns_lifestyle/crohns_pregnancy.html - this from the Remicade web site, so take with a grain of salt.

 

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