Crohn's Disease and Women
Crohn's Disease is especially difficult for women to accept as
part of their lives. Perhaps it is because women are supposed to
be delicate and graceful, but a disease which results in
excessive diarrhea and rectal bleeding is contrary to a woman's
idea of what is acceptable. Often plagued with poor self-esteem
anyway, women usually react to Crohn's Disease with more of an
emotional sentiment than men. This disease also affects many
other areas of a woman's life, including menstruation,
reproduction, and other potential medical areas.
One such effect, in addition to the regular symptoms, is the
irregularity of menstrual cycles common in women with Crohn's
Disease. Because chronic disease throws the entire body off, it
sometimes results in unexpected abnormalities. Also,
malnutrition caused by Crohn's is a contributing factor to this,
as well as the inflammation in general. Likewise, the effects of
Crohn's Disease will often worsen just prior to or just after
menstruation.
Pain during intercourse is also a concern for women with Crohn's
Disease. While this will not usually occur, it may be a sign of
a fistula in the vaginal area. These are small channels that
result from ulcers in the digestive tract and may connect
various organs in the lower region of the body. This should be
brought to your doctor's attention as soon as possible, as
treatment is necessary. Progression may lead to an abscess or
infection with negative side effects.
While you are just as likely to conceive a child if you have
Crohn's Disease as a non-sufferer, you should seriously consider
your state of health before deciding to have a child. Increased
stress has been shown to cause flare-ups in the disease and
complications may arise. Symptoms common of Crohn's may cause
more of a problem during pregnancy, such as malnutrition and
dehydration. Excessive cases of dehydration may lead to
miscarriage. Another concern is the possibility of requiring
surgery to treat an emergency issue of Crohn's during the
pregnancy, which can also cause complications for the baby.
Also, many of the medications taken to treat the disease can not
be taken during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Woman with Inflammatory Bowel Disease are more likely to get
osteoporosis due to lack of calcium absorption and steroid
treatment use. Likewise, colon cancer is an increased risk with
IBD and Crohn's Disease, but this is not limited to women, but
is shared among all sufferers.