Members Members Residents Job Board
Join Today Renew Your Membership Make A Donation
2001 Abstract: 2417 Fertility After Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis in Women with Ulcerative Colitis

Abstracts
2001 Digestive Disease Week

# 2417 Fertility After Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis in Women with Ulcerative Colitis
Anat Ravid, Carrole Richard, Brenda I. O'Connor, Leia M. Spencer, Erin D. Kennedy, Davin Mukraj, Hellen M. MacRae, Zane Cohen, Robin S. McLeod, Toronto, ON Canada

Background: Recent reports suggest that women who have had surgery for ulcerative colitis (UC) may have an increased risk of infertility. The aim was to determine which factors may be associated with infertility in women having colectomy and IPAA.

Methods: A questionaire was mailed to all women who had a IPAA for UC at least one year previously. Information related to fertility, pregnancy and risk factors known to predispose to infertility was collected. Other clinical information was obtained from the Mount Sinai Hospital Inflammatory Bowel Disease data base.

Results: Of 320 women who had IPAA between 1982-1997, 254 (83%) responded. Forty seven (group 1)reported problems with infertility defined as inability to conceive during 1 year without contraception. This group of patients was not significantly different from the others (207 patients, group 2) in relation to mean age at diagnosis of UC (22 vs. 25, NS), mean age at operation (28 vs. 33, NS) and current mean age (36 vs. 40,NS). A similar proportion of women in both groups had a 2-stage procedure (64% vs.66%), leak (13% in both), intra-abdominal sepsis (9% in both) and small bowel obstruction (24% vs 23%). No differences were found in known risk factors including weight change of more than 20 pounds over a period of one year (52% vs. 54%) and smoking status in the past (30% vs. 36%)and present (4% vs 7%), nor were there differences in the rate of hospitalizations due to UC (83% vs. 76%), blood transfusions (45% vs. 48%) or use of steroids (96% vs. 95%), imuran (15% vs. 20%) or cyclosporin (0% vs. 7%). No differeces were found in the rates of gynecological abnormalities or medical illnesses. Before being diagnosed with UC, 34% of group 1 vs. 37%of group 2 had been pregnant although 6% in group 1 vs. 3% in group 2 stated they had problems with infertility then. Despite complaints of infertility, 53% of women in group 1 gave birth, compared to 59% in group 2. Sixteen women in group 1 (34%) reqired medication and 6 (12.8%) required surgery for infertility problems vs. only 8 (4%) and 5 (2.4%) in group 2, respectively.

Conclusions: The infertility rate in women with UC following surgery appears to be increased. However, this study did not reveal any differences in risk factors between the two groups. Thus, further studies are necessary to evaluate factors related to post IPAA infertility.





Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract

Facebook Twitter YouTube

Email SSAT Email SSAT
500 Cummings Center, Suite 4400, Beverly, MA 01915 500 Cummings Center
Suite 4400
Beverly, MA 01915
+1 978-927-8330 +1 978-927-8330
+1 978-524-0498 +1 978-524-0498
Links
About
Membership
Publications
Newsletters
Annual Meeting
Join SSAT
Job Board
Make a Pledge
Event Calendar
Awards