When a woman living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) starts thinking about having a family, there’s a lot to consider beyond possible morning sickness and prenatal vitamins. There’s the impact of IBD on her pregnancy — like whether certain medications are safe — but also the impact of her pregnancy on IBD, including the risk of flare-ups after giving birth.
Jami Baker is one of these women, diagnosed with IBD just after university. Now the mother of two healthy daughters, this 36-year-old manager had both her children at Mount Sinai Hospital under drastically different circumstances — her first within days of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and her second three and a half years later, during calmer times.
But through both experiences, Jami felt that her unique needs were met by the integrated health-care teams at Sinai Health.
“The best thing about having all my specialists at Mount Sinai Hospital – my surgeon, gastroenterologist and obstetrician — was that they were able to all work really closely together, and I could feel well taken care of.“
— Jami, Patient Ambassador
Jami underwent five surgeries before even thinking about starting a family, but as she edged towards her mid-30s, she was told to try sooner rather than later because her scarring would likely affect her fertility. Her and her fiancé accelerated their plans and, luckily, Jami became pregnant shortly thereafter.
“I had a bad Crohn’s flare-up soon after the birth and went downhill for about a year after that,” says Jami. The flare-up required more medication, another surgery and left Jami with an intense fear of leaving her house as an immunocompromised person during the pandemic.
It was at this time that Jami met Dr. Vivian Huang, Clinician Investigator and Gastroenterologist at Mount Sinai Hospital, who helped her navigate recovery.
Dr. Huang started the IBD Preconception and Pregnancy Clinic at Mount Sinai Hospital in 2018 when she discovered the need for specialized, interprofessional care for patients with IBD planning or experiencing pregnancy. The clinic is part of Sinai Health’s Centre for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, which has gained a global reputation for expert care, education and innovative research.
“Dr. Huang and her team have helped me live my life to the fullest,” says Jami. “Dr. Huang is compassionate, understanding and, most importantly, makes my health her top priority.”
Encouraged to not waste time before growing her family due to the ongoing build-up of scar tissue, Jami and her husband started trying for their second child.
During her second post-partum period, Jami experienced a completely different set of challenges, with severe joint pain, swelling and stiffness. “It actually attacked my joints this time, so I had trouble moving,” Jami recalls.
For Jami, the specialized care she received from Dr. Huang’s clinic was so helpful that she referred her twin sister, Jade, to get help after struggling for months post-partum with an IBD flare-up. Jami says her sister is now getting the same exceptional care she herself got before, during and after her pregnancy.
“I live out in Bradford but always made my weekly trips into Mount Sinai Hospital because I trusted being there. I trusted my team, versus going somewhere else where the people don’t know me and the complexity of my care.”