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Contraceptive Considerations for Women with Gastrointestinal Disorders

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Abstract

Gastroenterologists are in a unique position to assist women with chronic gastrointestinal disorders in order to optimize their health prior to pregnancy. Women, whether with chronic conditions or not, and their infants are more likely to be healthy when pregnancies are planned. Achieving a planned pregnancy at the ideal time or preventing pregnancy altogether requires the use of appropriate contraceptives. There is a broad range of contraceptives available to women in the USA, and the majority of women with digestive diseases will be candidates for all effective methods. Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aids clinicians in prescribing appropriate contraceptives to women with medical disorders. This review will focus on contraception for women with inflammatory bowel disease and chronic liver disease, including liver transplant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 10833 Le Conte Ave CHS 22-229, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    Aparna Sridhar

  2. The Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 49 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA

    Carrie A. Cwiak

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville, 653-1 W. 8th Street, Jacksonville, FL, 32209, USA

    Andrew M. Kaunitz

  4. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, 101 Dudley Street, Providence, RI, 02905, USA

    Rebecca H. Allen

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  1. Aparna Sridhar
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  2. Carrie A. Cwiak
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Correspondence to Rebecca H. Allen.

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Conflict of interest

Allen: Nexplanon trainer for Merck, consulted for Bayer and Actavis regarding IUDs, Royalties from Springer; Cwiak: Nexplanon trainer for Merck, Advisory board for Medicines360 and Afaxys, Research support from Medicines360, Royalties from Springer; Kaunitz: Consult for: Allergan, Bayer, Merck, Clinical trial financial support to University of Florida: Agile, Merck, Bayer, Royalties: UpToDate; Sridhar: None.

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Sridhar, A., Cwiak, C.A., Kaunitz, A.M. et al. Contraceptive Considerations for Women with Gastrointestinal Disorders. Dig Dis Sci 62, 54–63 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-016-4383-z

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