Research Study at University of Leeds on IBD and Mums to be

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) can be broadly divided into Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and Indeterminate Colitis and is characterised by the inflammation of the digestive tract. IBD can affect all aspect of an individual’s wellbeing, including family planning. Becoming a mother can be one of the most joyful, but also one of the most stressful, phases in a woman’s life and can be even more challenging within the context of a chronic illness such as IBD. Unfortunately, little information is available for women with IBD who are considering starting a family.

A team of researchers led by Professor Anna Madill from the University of Leeds have received funding from Crohn’s and Colitis UK to close this gap in understanding and investigate the experiences of mothers with IBD who have at least one young birth-child. The research study has received full ethical approval from the University of Leeds and has recruited and interviewed 20 relevant women from around the UK.

The data retrieved from these interviews will be used to create YouTube medleys to convey publicly, and in a user-friendly way, the main themes derived from the analysis of the lived experience of mothers with IBD.

The study aims to inform mums-to-be with IBD, their partners, families, and healthcare providers about the specific challenges and unique experiences faced by women who transitioned to motherhood within the context of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

For further information please contact:

Jihane Ghorayeb, PhD researcher: ps12jg@leeds.ac.uk

Professor Anna Madill: a.l.madill@leeds.ac.uk