Gender & Ulcerative Colitis

Men and women have different concerns when dealing with ulcerative colitis (UC). Many result from lifestyle and family-planning issues.

In a European study, people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) were asked to complete a 25-item survey where they rated their concerns about the disease on a scale of 0-100. The study also looked at patients' knowledge of IBD. Results showed that the top concerns among men and women were actually similar.

• An ostomy bag
• Effects of medication
• Surgery
• Uncertainty of the disease
• Energy level

Three differences were noted among the remaining evaluated concerns.¹⁹

	Women – overall score	Men – overall score
Being a burden on others	40.6	18.5
Passing on the disease	12.1	5.6
Being treated differently	19.3	10.4

Researchers also concluded that there's a relationship between how much the patients knowledge of the disease and their level of concern and worry. For both genders, results showed that the more educated they are about the disease, the fewer concerns they have.

Family Planning

Talk to your doctor if you have questions about how UC may affect your long-term goals. As a team, you and your doctor can determine the best ways to stay healthy while extending your family. Because ulcerative colitis is often diagnosed in early adulthood, the disease effects on fertility are a concern. If you are thinking about starting a family, there are special considerations you must face regarding your gender.

• Men: UC does not affect men's fertility directly. However, sulfa medications used to treat UC can affect sperm count or motility and lead to temporary infertility.^20,21 Check with your doctor if you are concerned about the medication side effects. Your doctor may prescribe medication that won't adversely affect your fertility.
• Women: UC does not affect women's fertility directly. Doctors do recommend to become pregnant during remission. Once pregnant, flare-ups may increase the chances for miscarriages and other complications.²² Prior to pregnancy, talk to your doctor about your medication.