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- What Is Ulcerative Colitis? Ulcerative Colitis is a type of bowel disease that causes long-term inflammation of the cells that line your rectum and colon (also called the large intestine).
- Warning Sign: Abdominal Pain. A belly ache and diarrhea with blood or pus in it could be warning signs of ulcerative colitis. Some people have mild symptoms every once in a while, but others have worse symptoms more often.
- Warning Sign: Weight Loss. The long-term inflammation that comes with UC can cause digestive problems. These could lead to: Weight loss. Poor appetite.
- Other Warning Signs. Some people with ulcerative colitis have symptoms outside the digestive system. These may include: Joint pain. Skin sores. Fatigue. Anemia (low red blood cell count)
- Sexual Dysfunction
- Fertility and Pregnancy
- Iron Deficiency Anemia
- Osteoporosis
- Body Image Issues
- Fistulous Tracts
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Active symptoms may cause severe inflammation, making sex uncomfortable (dyspareunia) and even painful, indicatingsevere inflammation. A 2017 study found that 54%Trusted Sourceof females with IBD have sexual dysfunction, driven by the psychological factors related to receiving a diagnosis of UC and independent of disease activity.
A 2022 studyTrusted Sourcefound that proctocolectomy with ileal pouch anal-anastomosis (J-pouch surgery) resulted in decreased quality of life and potential adverse events associated with pregnancy. However, a 2020 study examined fertility rates in females who underwent surgery for colitis as a child. It found that 88%Trusted Sourcehad successful p...
ResearchTrusted Source recognizes that iron deficiency anemia (IDA)is a common complication with IBD, as a result of bleeding in the inner lining of the intestine. IDA may also result from the decreasedabsorption of iron due to inflammation, though doctors suggest this is seen more often in Crohn’s disease. In some people, heavy periods can lead to...
Females with IBD are at an increased risk of having osteoporosis, as their bone density is lower than average. This condition tends to be more common in females with Crohn’s disease, but it can also occur in UC. Osteoporosis and bone loss may result from multiple factors: 1. Inflammation affects the rate at which the body removes old bone and forms...
Taking corticosteroids can cause weight gain during flares, while malabsorption and a lack of nutrition due to dietary changes may lead to weight loss. These fluctuations in weight can cause body image issues. A 2020 studyTrusted Sourcefound that many people with IBD experience “maladaptive attitudes” toward eating. Females who had elevated scores ...
Fistulous tractsare holes or tunnels on the intestinal walls or other organs. Fistulas may develop after a person undergoes bowel surgery or as a complication of IBD. These tracts are more common in Crohn’s disease, with 33%of people with Crohn’s disease developing a fistula and only 3% of people with UC developing one. People with UC usually devel...
Learn how ulcerative colitis (UC) can affect females differently than males, especially around menstruation and pregnancy. Find out about the treatments, complications, and outlook for UC in females.
Dec 12, 2023 · 10 Things Women With Ulcerative Colitis Need to Know. Updated Dec 12, 2023. By. Jackie Zimmerman. Medical Reviewer Jason Reich, M.D. Roberto Nickson. 1 / 12. It’s not fair, but it’s true:...
- Menstrual periods may aggravate your UC. More than half of women say their IBD symptoms get worse when they’re on their period, according to a study of more than 1,000 females published in January 2018 in the journal Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.
- Body image problems are common in women with IBD. Body image issues are prevalent among women with UC, says Rebecca Matro, MD, a gastroenterologist and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) specialist at Scripps Green Hospital and Scripps Memorial Hospital, both in La Jolla, California.
- Immune-suppressing drugs can cause yeast infections. The immune-suppressing drugs commonly used to treat UC can result in vaginal yeast infections, says Gross.
- You may develop fistulas after bowel surgery. Fistulas are abnormal, extra connections between two organs or between an organ and the skin: Imagine a hollow tube connecting different parts of the body that isn’t supposed to be there.
Sep 27, 2022 · Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory condition of the colon. It may cause symptoms such as bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, and unexplained weight loss. Women with ulcerative colitis also face additional challenges related to their menstrual cycles, sexual health, and bone health.
Jun 22, 2022 · Colitis means inflammation in your colon, where digested food becomes poop. Inflammation in your colon can make your poop more urgent, painful, runny or bloody. You can get temporary colitis from an infection. Some people have chronic colitis.
Oct 23, 2023 · Abdominal pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fatigue, and weight loss are common symptoms of ulcerative colitis in females.
