U Mahadevan at el. Gastroenterology; 2020: (in press) DOI:https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2020.11.038. Pregnancy and Neonatal Outcomes after Fetal Exposure To Biologics and Thiopurines among Women with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Methods: Between 2007 and 2019, pregnant women with IBD were enrolled in a prospective, observational, multicenter study across the United States (PIANO registry). 

Key findings:

• Exposure was to thiopurines (242), biologics (642) or both (227) versus unexposed (379)
• Medication exposure did not increase the rate of congenital malformations, spontaneous abortions, preterm birth, LBW, and infections over the first year of life
• Higher disease activity was associated with risk of spontaneous abortion (HR 3.41, 95% CI 1.51-7.69) and preterm birth with increased infant infection (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.19-2.51)

My take: This study provides some reassurance that treatments for IBD are unlikely to affect neonatal outcomes; however, increased IBD activity does affect outcomes

Related blog post: IBD and Pregnancy