| IBS and IBD In The News | |
Father's Use of Bowel Drug Linked to Pregnancy Disorders
Reuters Health April 04, 2000| Other News |
A study in the March issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology reported that men who take the immunosuppressive 6-MP in the three months prior to conception have a greater risk of fathering babies with birth defects.
6-MP is an immunosuppressive drug that is used to treat Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colits. It suppresses the immune system and reduces the inflammation in the digestive tract.
Researches studied 50 pregnancies, 23 in which the father had IBD and had taken 6-MP prior to conception. They also studied 90 pregnancies in which the father had IBD but had not taken 6-MP. Four of the 13 pregnancies where the father had taken 6-MP in the prior three months resulted in abnormalities. In the 90 pregnancies where the father did not use 6-MP, there were only 2 miscarriages and no birth defects.
The rate of birth defects was found to be 15.3%, which is significantly higher than the 3% found in the general population.
