Dig Liver Dis. 2021 Jun 10;S1590-8658(21)00271-1. doi: 10.1016/j.dld.2021.05.020.Online ahead of print.

Alessandro Armuzzi ¹, Aurora Bortoli ², Fabiana Castiglione ³, Antonella Contaldo ⁴, Marco Daperno ⁵, Renata D'Incà ⁶, Nunzia Labarile ⁷, Silvia Mazzuoli ⁸, Sara Onali ⁹, Monica Milla ¹⁰, Ambrogio Orlando ¹¹, Mariabeatrice Principi ¹², Daniela Pugliese ¹, Sara Renna ¹¹, Fernando Rizzello ¹³, Maria Lia Scribano ¹⁴, Alessia Todeschini ⁴, Italian Group for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Working Group

Author information

• ¹CEMAD - IBD Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, A Gemelli University Hospital, Rome, Italy.
• ²Gastroenterology Unit, UAO G Salvini, Rho, Italy.
• ³Gastroenterology, Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, School of Medicine Federico II of Naples, Naples, Italy.
• ⁴Emergency and Organ Transplantation Department, Section of Gastroenterology, AOU Policlinico, Bari, Italy.
• ⁵Gastroenterology and Endoscopic Unit, Umberto I Mauriziano Hospital, Turin, Italy.
• ⁶Gastroenterology Unit, Padua University Hospital, Padua, Italy.
• ⁷Gastroenterology Unit, Ospedale Santissima Annunziata, Taranto, Italy.
• ⁸Gastroenterology and Artificial Nutrition Department, "Mons. Dimiccoli " Barletta, Italy.
• ⁹Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Science and Public Health, University Hospital of Cagliari, Italy.
• ¹⁰IBD Referral Center, Gastroenterology Clinic, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
• ¹¹Inflammatory Bowel Disease Unit, A.O.O.R. Villa Sofia-Cervello, Palermo, Italy.
• ¹²Emergency and Organ Transplantation Department, Section of Gastroenterology, AOU Policlinico, Bari, Italy. Electronic address: b.principi@gmail.com.
• ¹³Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
• ¹⁴Gastroenterology Unit, San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, Roma, Italy.

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel diseases, namely ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, occur worldwide and affect people of all ages, with a high impact on their quality of life. Sex differences in incidence and prevalence have been reported, and there are also gender-specific issues that physicians should recognize. For women, there are multiple, important concerns regarding issues of body image and sexuality, menstruation, contraception, fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause. This practice-based review focuses on the main themes that run through the life of women with inflammatory bowel diseases from puberty to menopause. Gastroenterologists who specialize in inflammatory bowel diseases and other physicians who see female patients with inflammatory bowel diseases should provide support for these problems and offer adequate therapy to ensure that their patients achieve the same overall well-being and health as do women without inflammatory bowel diseases.