Biologics and pregnancy: a clinician's guide to the management of IBD in pregnant women

Introduction: Women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) endorse a tremendous amount of concern about medication exposure during pregnancy and their effects on the fetus. Medical providers caring for this patient population should be well informed and feel comfortable counseling their patients for the best pregnancy outcome possible. Areas covered: It is of particular importance to understand the implications of use of biologics in preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum timeframes. Herein, we aim to inform the clinician about the impact of uncontrolled inflammation during pregnancy, the mechanisms of biologic transport through the placenta, the effects of biologics in maternal and neonatal outcomes, and additional postpartum considerations such as breastfeeding and vaccination safety. Expert opinion: The groundwork already set by previous research in terms of safety of biologic therapy during pregnancy has been reassuring. With the advent of more mechanisms of action but similar protein structure, i.e. they are IgG1 antibodies; the authors anticipate the recommendation of continuation of therapy throughout pregnancy will be sustained.