In utero exposure to anti-TNFα drugs does not seem to be associated with increased short-term or long-term risk of severe infections in children.

Inflammatory bowel disease has a high incidence and prevalence especially in young individuals in their reproductive years. Trying to conceive and being pregnant is an emotional period for those involved. In the majority of patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, maintenance therapy is required during pregnancy to control the disease, and disease control might necessitate introduction of new drugs during a vulnerable period. Therefore, the management of patients with a wish to conceive and during pregnancy requires specialized counselling and appropriate management including a multidisciplinary approach and close involvement of the prospective parents under a shared decision-making model. This updated consensus paper addresses these issues and is aimed to optimize pre-conceptional, pregnancy and post pregnancy counselling, including the monitoring and therapeutic management of patients with IBD patients with a wish to conceive.

Long-term outcomes for ileocecal resection in CD are excellent with 48% of patients remaining symptom-free and only 35% requiring repeat resection surgery at 10 years. This should be borne in mind when considering biologic therapy.

Inflammatory bowel disease may increase the odds of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Development of IBD should be suspected in patients receiving etanercept who develop GI symptoms. This phenomenon appears more commonly associated with initiation of CD. The clinical phenotype appears indistinguishable from usual patterns of IBD. Unlike other autoimmune phenomenon associated with anti-TNF therapy, IBD often does not resolve when the agent is discontinued. This tentative association requires further investigation.