When I first started exploring the idea of family planning after bowel surgery, I found myself searching endlessly. Pregnancy after colectomy, jpouch and fertility, conceiving with a stoma. What I found were statistics, clinical, sterile, and usually outdated. Those papers didn’t tell me what I really wanted to know. Would trying to conceive actually be possible after my specific surgical journey? Would my body even function well enough to try? What about the risks? Not just fertility, but pregnancy itself?

IBD affects so many people of reproductive age, yet I found very little in the way of specific, relatable, real experiences – especially from people with complex surgical histories like mine. That’s why I’ve put this post together.

My own surgical history is complicated. Seven bowel surgeries in total, including Jpouch, pouch refashion, and later, excision. Chronic illness and trauma are woven into every part of my story. I knew what the medical papers said, but none of them could tell me what it might feel like in my body to try to conceive. Or whether anyone had actually done it successfully after what I’ve been through.

My experience isn’t the “standard” patient journey, even among people with IBD, but I know I’m not the only one with family planning fears and concerns. When I started to share bits of my fertility testing journey on social media, I was surprised by the number of messages I received. People who had been through it, people who were currently going through it, and people who were just thinking about it, quietly, too afraid to ask.

So, I created a form and asked the community to share their stories, either openly or anonymously. Because sometimes, speaking publicly about these things is too hard, or too personal. I wanted to create something searchable. Something people could stumble across at 1am while scrolling in tears, looking for a glimmer of hope or some kind of sign that they’re not alone. That they can do this.

I hoped more people would respond. Only five did. But those five are generous, brave, and their words are powerful.

Real Experiences from the Community

Jennie 💜 After a total colectomy and proctectomy, Jennie was told she was unlikely to conceive. She had given up on the idea of another baby, but after starting multivitamins and Vitamin D to help with poor absorption, she was shocked to find herself pregnant.

While her stoma grew and her stretched belly caused some worrying scar tissue pain, she didn’t have any bowel issues during the pregnancy. She had a C-section due to her previous surgeries and felt incredibly supported by her stoma nurses, who treated the pregnancy like it was their own.

Charlotte 🌿 Charlotte’s journey began with emergency surgery in 2016 to remove her large intestine, a traumatic experience with only three days to prepare. Her surgeon specifically left her rectum to preserve her chances of having a family, as further surgery could lead to complications.

Years later, she mistook her pregnancy for early menopause! Her pregnancy was wonderfully smooth; her colitis stayed away, and apart from some fatigue and one quick partial blockage, she felt great. Even though her baby was on the larger side, she says, physically, she couldn’t have wished for a better experience.

Chloe Thomas 🩺 Chloe had a proctocolectomy in 2018 and was told her surgery wouldn’t affect her chances and that she should simply cross that bridge when it comes to it.

However, the reality has been much harder. Chloe hasn’t been able to get pregnant yet, even after navigating IVF, two failed implantations, and a chemical pregnancy. Her story highlights the desperate need for more proactive, honest fertility conversations before major bowel surgery.

Natalie Hayden 🌿 In 2015, Natalie had 18 inches of small intestine, her appendix, and a Meckel’s diverticulum removed.

Despite no one ever discussing fertility with her, she had no issues conceiving and became pregnant 10 months later. Natalie had three flawless, full-term pregnancies while staying on Humira throughout. All three of her children were delivered via scheduled C-sections without any complications.

Jennifer Haynes 💕 With a history of a full colectomy, jpouch reversal, and fistulectomy, it was unknown how Jennifer’s surgeries would affect her family planning.

It took several years and fertility medicine to conceive, but she was supported by her GI and surgical teams throughout. While her pregnancy was stable, she required a C-section due to her perianal surgeries and sadly suffered a serious ileus afterwards. Her system shut down for two weeks, resulting in a long hospitalisation – a complication her team noted is common for people who have had these types of surgeries.

Why these stories matter

Family planning is such a personal and emotional journey. It’s not easy to talk about it publicly, especially when you’re living with chronic illness or recovering from major surgeries. I understand why most people messaged me privately instead of commenting on posts. The fear, the grief, the longing. It’s a vulnerable place to be.

That’s why this post exists. So that people who aren’t ready to ask can still find answers. So that people with more complex histories don’t feel like their path is too complicated to be shared. So that someone sitting in uncertainty might read this and feel just a little less alone.

If you’d like to share

If you’ve been through family planning, pregnancy, or childbirth with IBD or after bowel surgery, and you’re open to sharing your story, I’d still love to hear from you. You can also comment below, and potentially start a conversation. Even a few sentences could help someone feel seen. You can submit anonymously.

Let’s keep building this resource together. 💜