[Treatment of colitis ulcerosa during pregnancy (author's transl)].

Aggressive pharmacotherapeutic and surgical measures are often contra-indicated in the treatment of colitis ulcerosa in pregnancy. Especially in the sensitive embryonal development phase, the use of antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, chemotherapeutics and ACTH is considered questionable. The subtotal colectomies and ileostomies often demanded in toxically dramatic colitides place a considerable burden on mother and foetus. A conservative therapeutic regimen, which has been successfully used in more than 80 patients with inflammatory intestinal diseases, was modified to suit the requirements of pregnancy. This is a combination therapy involving parenteral feeding, food which can be absorbed by the intestinal walls, and a suitably adapted pharmacotherapy. In one case of a severe toxic relapse of colitis ulcerosa during early pregnancy, remission was achieved in a patient while fully maintaining the pregnancy.