The effect of pregnancy and delivery on the ileal pouch-anal anastomosis functions

Since 1981, a total of 729 ileal pouch-anal anastomoses have been performed at the Mayo Clinic-affiliated hospitals. Three hundred fifty-four were in women. Twenty of these patients subsequently had at least one successful pregnancy and delivery. Eleven deliveries were vaginal with episiotomy, and nine were cesarean sections. No maternal deaths occurred. One child died of hyaline membrane disease. The frequency of nocturnal stooling increased in the ileal pouch-anal anastomosis patients during pregnancy (P<.01) and the increase persisted for three months after delivery (P<.05). In contrast, the frequency of daytime stools, the incidence of incontinence, the consistency of the stool, and the development of perineal seepage or skin irritation were not greatly altered by pregnancy or delivery. Moreover, postpartum pouch function was not influenced by the type of delivery (vaginal vs. cesarean section). In conclusion, pregnancy and delivery are safe in patients with the ileal pouch-anal anastomosis, but they lead to more frequent nocturnal stools. The type of delivery (vaginal vs. cesarean section) does not influence pouch functional outcome.