Supporting and educating patients and families on the intestinal failure,
intestinal rehabilitation and intestinal and multivisceral transplantation journey.
Pregnancy After Transplant
It is possible to become pregnant after an intestinal transplant. To date, eight successful pregnancies have been reported in intestinal transplant patients. (1) Although thorough research has not been conducted on pregnancy in intestinal transplant patients, other solid organ transplant patients have had numerous successful pregnancies while on similar immunosuppression protocols, thus the safety of this medications on the fetus has been tested. There are a number of factors to consider when determining if it is the right time to start trying to conceive, including: (2)
Good general health for roughly 2 years post-transplant.
A stable and functioning graft.
No rejection within the past year.
No acute infections.
Maintenance immunosuppression at stable doses.
Normal blood pressure or blood pressure well-controlled.
It is always best to discuss this decision with your transplant team and a qualified OBGYN who is familiar with transplant patients and transplant medications. Since you are a transplant patient and you are immunosuppressed, this puts your pregnancy at high risk from the beginning. Just like a comprehensive team for your intestinal transplant, you will need a multidisciplinary team for your pregnancy to ensure the safest and healthiest delivery of your neonate.
References:
1. Coscia L, Armenti D, Constantinescu S, Moritz MJ. Pregnancy After Intestinal Transplantation. Transplantation. 2017;101. doi:10.1097/01.tp.0000521507.71280.93.
2. Transplantation and Pregnancy. Practice Essentials, Overview, Important Points to be Considered in Female Transplant Recipients. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/429932-overview#a1. Published November 9, 2019. Accessed May 6, 2020.
