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\nInflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is the name for a group of conditions that cause the digestive system to become inflamed (red, swollen, and sometimes painful). The most common types of IBD are [tooltiptop title=\"UHL-sur-uh-tiv koh-LEYE-tiss\"]ulcerative colitis[/tooltiptop] and [tooltiptop title=\"krohnz\"]Crohn's[/tooltiptop] disease. These cause similar symptoms, including diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever. IBD affects women in unique ways. IBD symptoms can get worse during your menstrual period and can cause problems getting pregnant.
\nIBD is the name for a group of conditions that cause the digestive system to become inflamed (red, swollen, and sometimes painful).
\nYour digestive system runs from your mouth to your anus. If your digestive system is healthy, food moves smoothly through your digestive system and out of your body. Your body absorbs the nutrients it needs from food. The rest passes through your body and leaves as urine (pee) or stool (poop).
\nIf you have IBD, part of your digestive system is inflamed. Over time, the inflammation can cause severe pain, diarrhea, and sometimes bloody stool. IBD symptoms come and go in episodes or flares. Because of the inflammation in your digestive system from IBD, your body cannot absorb all of the nutrients it needs. This can lead to malnutrition, other symptoms of IBD, or other health problems, such as anemia.
\nThe most common types of IBD are ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The diseases are similar but affect different parts of the digestive system.
\nMore than 3 million people in the United States have IBD.1\">1 IBD is more common in people who are over age 45.1\">1
\nYes. Your risk of IBD is higher if you:
\nIBD affects women in unique ways. IBD can cause:
\nThe symptoms of IBD are often similar for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Symptoms include:9\">9,10\">10
\nSymptoms can range from mild to severe. Your symptoms can sometimes go away for months or even years (called remission) before coming back (called a flare-up).
\nResearchers do not know exactly what causes IBD. The body's immune (defense) system may trigger IBD. Usually, the immune system protects the body from infections caused by viruses or bacteria (germs). Once the infection is gone, that part of the immune system \"shuts off\" until it is needed again.
\nBut in people with IBD, the immune system may overreact to normal bacteria in the digestive system. Once the immune system starts, it does not shut off when it should. Over time, this leads to inflammation, which damages the digestive system.
\nWhile researchers do not know why IBD starts, some studies suggest that the risk of developing IBD may be higher for women who take antibiotics,11\">11 birth control pills,12\">12 or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), such as aspirin or ibuprofen.13\">13
\nStress does not cause IBD. But it may make IBD symptoms worse.
\nIf you think you have IBD, talk to your doctor or nurse. Your doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms and do tests to find out whether you have IBD and, if so, which type.
\nSome tests used to diagnose IBD include:
\nTreatments for IBD may include:
\nSome forms of psychotherapy, sometimes called \"talk therapy,\" may also help you cope with stress related to IBD symptoms and help make your pain less severe.14\">14 Your doctor can refer you to a counselor or therapist, or you can find one at https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/.
\nSome counselors specialize in working with people who have IBD. A counselor can help you talk about any distressing emotions you might have about IBD symptoms. A counselor can also treat anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns. Ask your doctor or nurse for a referral or recommendation for a counselor in your area.
\nMedicines used to treat IBD help reduce inflammation, relieve symptoms, and prevent future flare-ups. Your doctor may give you:10\">10,15\">15
\nYou may need to try several different medicines before you find what works best for you.
\nMaybe. More than half of people with Crohn's disease need surgery within 20 years of being diagnosed.16\">16 Surgery can relieve your symptoms, but it cannot cure the disease.
\nSurgeries for Crohn's disease include:15\">15
\nMaybe. Almost 1 in 3 people with ulcerative colitis may need surgery to treat the ulcerative colitis at some point.17\">17
\nSurgery to remove your entire large intestine and rectum may cure ulcerative colitis. After your large intestine and rectum are removed, your body can no longer get rid of solid waste on its own. Your doctor will do one of two types of procedures to allow your body to get rid of waste:10\">10
\nThe type of procedure your doctor does depends on your symptoms and how severe they are, your age, and how the procedure will affect your quality of life, such as the types of activities you do.
\nYour doctor will talk to you about steps you can take at home to relieve your IBD symptoms. Some steps may include:
\nMaybe. Researchers don't have enough evidence yet to show which specific diets, foods, or ingredients may make IBD symptoms worse or better. Some women say that changing the foods they eat helps relieve their symptoms during flare-ups. Most doctors recommend avoiding processed foods and foods with a lot of additives, such as carrageenan and maltodextrin (thickeners).
\nTalk to your doctor about specific foods you may want to eat or avoid.21\">21
\nYes. IBD can lead to other health problems. Some of the conditions include:
\nSome of these other health problems get better when IBD is treated. Some other health problems must be treated separately from IBD.
\nAlthough these conditions are not necessarily caused by IBD, people with IBD are more likely to also have depression and anxiety, especially during flare-ups.29\">29 Depression and anxiety are serious mental health problems that can be treated. Talk to your doctor, nurse, or counselor. Find a counselor at https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/ by entering your location.
\nYes. Everyone needs to be screened for colon cancer beginning at 50 years old. But if you have IBD, your risk of colon cancer is higher. You might need to be screened at a younger age or more often than people without IBD.
\nIBD can affect your chances of getting pregnant and your symptoms during pregnancy. Pregnant women with IBD may have a high-risk pregnancy.
\nYour doctor may also change the type or amount of the medicine you take. Some medicines, such as methotrexate and thalidomide, cause birth defects and other health problems and should not be taken while you are pregnant or breastfeeding.31\">31 If you might become pregnant, talk to your doctor about any medicines you take.
\nYes, but your doctor may change the type or amount of the medicine you take. Some medicines, such as methotrexate and thalidomide, cause birth defects and other health problems and should not be taken while you are pregnant or breastfeeding.31\">31
\nBefore you get pregnant, make a plan with your obstetrician and gastroenterologist about the medicines you will take during and after pregnancy. Take your medicines as your doctor tells you to. If you stop taking your medicines and your symptoms come back (flare up), it may be difficult to get them back under control.31\">31
\nTalk with your doctor about your medicines and breastfeeding before you give birth. You can search for your medicine in the LactMed database to find out if your medicine passes through your breastmilk and, if so, if it has any possible side effects for your nursing baby.
\nIBD and the surgery and medicines used to treat it can affect your sexual health. Sometimes you may just feel too tired to have sex. You may also have emotional concerns related to the disease. For instance, you may not feel as confident about your body as you did before you began to have IBD symptoms.
\nFor more information about IBD, call the OWH Helpline at 1-800-994-9662 or contact the following organizations:
\nThis content is provided by the Office on Women's Health.
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