Why IBD Isn’t “Just a Tummy Problem” for Young Women
“Hot girls have stomach issues” is a running joke on social media. While it’s easy to laugh about bloating or the odd upset stomach, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a different story. It’s serious, long-term and still often treated like it’s no big deal.
Many women don’t realise just how much it affects their bodies, their mental health and their everyday lives. The general public tends to brush it off as “just a tummy problem,” and even experts sometimes overlook it. This leaves a lot of the real impact unseen and unspoken.
How IBD Affects More Than Your Gut
IBD is not a single disease — it refers to a group of conditions that affect the gastrointestinal tract. It occurs when your immune system attacks healthy bowel cells. There are two common types of IBD, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Both can cause mild to severe symptoms, including stomach pain, fever, chronic diarrhoea and fatigue.
However, this disease can be more than just a stomach problem. Depending on the specific type you have, you may experience issues in other parts of your body as well. For instance, people with IBD are more likely to have osteoporosis, potentially due to long-term medication use, insufficient physical activity and reduced nutrient absorption.
People with IBD also face an increased risk of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, particularly those with Crohn’s disease. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a serious condition where lung tissues become thickened, stiff and scarred. Moreover, inflammation related to IBD has been linked to conditions affecting the joints, skin, eyes, mouth, liver, kidneys, pancreas and gallbladder.
What No One Warns You About IBD
Over 3 million people in the United States have IBD. Although the condition affects both men and women, the differences in female biology and hormones can affect how it shows up and how severe it becomes. That’s why women with IBD may have more psychological distress and a worse quality of life.
Symptoms Can Be Worse During Your Period
Periods can cause digestive problems for many women, even those without IBD. Symptoms such as abdominal cramps, bloating, indigestion and loose stools are common. For women living with IBD, these overlapping symptoms can make it feel like a flare is starting, even when the disease is under control. Additionally, women with IBD have higher chances of experiencing premenstrual headaches and cramps.
Staying Pregnant Might Be Harder
The uncontrolled inflammation that comes with IBD may make it harder to get pregnant. Ongoing inflammation can interfere with fertilisation by affecting the fallopian tubes, where the egg and sperm meet. Plus, if IBD flares during pregnancy, the risk of difficulty during labour, premature birth and low birth weight can be higher.
The good news is that you can experience a healthy pregnancy with proper care from a gastroenterologist and obstetrician. You may also find it reassuring that many medications used to treat IBD are considered safe during pregnancy.
Sex May Be Painful
There are various ways IBD can affect your quality of life. One of the most obvious ones is the need for predictability, particularly access to bathrooms and rest, which can limit spontaneity and independence.
What many people don’t know is that IBD can also make sex physically uncomfortable or painful for many women. If Crohn’s disease affects the lower part of the intestine near the perineum, the area between the vulva and anus, vaginal sex may cause pain. Scar tissue from previous IBD-related surgeries can make intercourse difficult, too.
Aside from physical discomfort, emotional concerns can influence intimacy. Some women worry about losing bowel control during sex, while others may feel self-conscious or uncomfortable if they have an ostomy bag. These issues can cause sex to feel unappealing or stressful.
There’s an Emotional Side
IBD is much more than just a tummy problem for women. Research shows that women with this condition are more prone to affective disorders. In fact, up to 65% of women with IBD experience depression and anxiety.
The psychological distress may be linked to the significant impact of symptoms on daily life. Pain during sex, fatigue, embarrassment and concerns about body image can all take a toll. If you have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, you may also struggle to gain weight due to restricted diets and frequent diarrhoea. This can further affect confidence and mental well-being.
How to Find Support and Speak Up
While there is no cure for IBD, there are effective treatments that can reduce symptoms, lower the risk of complications and improve quality of life. As a woman, your experiences with IBD might be overlooked or minimised, so getting emotional support can be helpful.
Counselling, group therapy or support groups designed specifically for women with IBD provide a safe space for you to talk openly about your challenges. It’s also important to be honest with your health care providers, even when symptoms feel embarrassing or difficult to discuss. By doing so, they can help you find solutions that you might miss otherwise.
You’re Not Overreacting, and You’re Not Alone
It’s frustrating when people dismiss your concerns and tell you that it’s not a big deal, but your feelings are valid. While others may not see how IBD affects far more than digestion, it doesn’t mean your struggles aren’t real. Trust your body and remember that support is out there. You don’t have to deal with it on your own.
