Pregnancy outcome in four women with inflammatory bowel disease treated with budesonide MMX.

BACKGROUND: Maintaining disease remission throughout pregnancy in women with inflammatory bowel disease is of the utmost importance to decrease the risk of adverse outcome. In general, corticosteroids are safe to use during pregnancy, but no data exist in the specific use of budesonide MMX. We report four cases of budesonide MMX in pregnancy and pregnancy outcome.

METHODS: Four women with inflammatory bowel disease experienced disease activity during pregnancy. They were treated with budesonide MMX in an attempt to obtain clinical remission. Disease activity was assessed through physician's global assessment as well as lower endoscopy.

RESULTS: Budesonide MMX proved effective in achieving remission in three out of four women. One woman had an uncomplicated colectomy in the second trimester. All children were born normal for gestational age, with no congenital abnormalities and have reached all their developmental milestones. The four children have received vaccines according to the national immunization program without complications.

CONCLUSION: No adverse pregnancy outcomes were reported after the use of budesonide MMX. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the safety of budesonide MMX treatment in pregnant women with inflammatory bowel disease.