Contraceptive choices in women with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Questionnaire Study on knowledge, attitudes and awareness of contraceptive choices in women with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
IRAS ID
290458
Contact name
Jimmy K Limdi
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) comprising ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are chronic, relapsing inflammatory conditions affecting the digestive tract. IBD is most often diagnosed between the ages of 15-40 which coincides with a woman’s prime childbearing years. If a woman’s IBD is active or flaring at the time of conception or during pregnancy, there is a higher chance of potential complications such as miscarriage, low birth weight or premature baby.
Family planning is especially important in women with active IBD to ensure that unintended or unplanned pregnancies are avoided to prevent harm to both mother and baby. However, a quarter of women with IBD of child-bearing age do not use contraception (birth control methods) at all, which can put them at risk of unplanned or mistimed pregnancy. There are many different types of contraception available, and women should be counselled regarding the most effective and appropriate contraceptive for them taking into account their preferences and plans for future pregnancy.
Very little is known about patients’ contraceptive knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. This study aims to obtain a better understanding of patients' contraceptive knowledge and attitudes, and assess if there is any association with IBD disease severity. This will be done by means of a questionnaire regarding knowledge, attitudes and awareness of contraceptive choices completed by consenting women of childbearing age between the ages of 18-45 years attending IBD clinics at Pennine Hospitals NHS Trust.
We anticipate that our findings will lead to a better understanding of contraceptive knowledge and attitudes of patients so that healthcare professionals can improve management of this subject. We hope that our study will enable further research to improve informed decision-making with contraceptive use, compressing avoidable morbidity from mistimed pregnancy, particularly with active IBD and result in an overall improvement the quality of care for women with IBD.
REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/NW/0455
Date of REC Opinion
8 Jan 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion