The recent national conference hosted by Cambridge NIHR Bioresource attended by our Leeds team focused on work stemming from the IBD BioResource project. Leeds investigators have focused on how Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) affects family planning for women with the condition.
Dr Christian Selinger, Consultant Gastroenterologist, discussed how their studies suggest that decisions for people with IBD about having children are influenced by a complex set of considerations. These include personal situation, sexual orientation, and life goals.
One important finding was that people who plan to have children tend to know more about managing IBD and follow their treatment plan more closely.
Dr Selinger emphasised the unique opportunity of the NIHR Bioresource in providing data and information supported by a clear, confirmed diagnosis and a formalised consent process for research participants.
The meeting also highlighted the need for long-term studies to see how these trends change over time. The event stressed the importance of personalised care and informed decision-making in managing IBD and NIHR Bioresource’s valuable contribution.