Prevalence and outcome of pregnancies in Norwegian and Swedish women with cystic fibrosis

BACKGROUND: As patients with cystic fibrosis now live longer, more women with cystic fibrosis wish to become mothers. We looked at the prevalence and outcome of pregnancies in women with cystic fibrosis who were alive in Norway and Sweden in the year 2000. METHODS: Women with cystic fibrosis aged 18 years and older attending cystic fibrosis centers in Norway and Sweden were included in the study. Information was obtained from medical records, interviews and questionnaires. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-two women with cystic fibrosis were included. Sixty-one (46%) had considered or were now considering pregnancy. Forty-six (75%) of these 61 women had already conceived. Eighty pregnancies were reported, including 12 (15%) conceived by assisted reproductive techniques. There were eight (10%) induced abortions, 11 (14%) miscarriages, and one extrauterine pregnancy. The remaining 60 (75%) pregnancies resulted in live born infants. CONCLUSIONS: Today women with cystic fibrosis have a better chance of getting pregnant than previously reported. In this study, 75% of those who wanted to get pregnant had succeeded. Fifteen percent of pregnancies were conceived by artificial reproductive techniques. The possibility of motherhood must be considered in these patients. It is important to plan pregnancies with optimal follow up by a cystic fibrosis team.