Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic relapsing gastrointestinal disease, often affecting young people during their fertile years. The chronic character of IBD means that lifelong medical treatment is often required. As such, it is not surprising that questions often arise about fertility and pregnancy in patients with IBD. The most important risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes in IBD patients is the presence of disease activity during pregnancy. Indeed, negative pregnancy outcomes (e.g. spontaneous abortion, preterm delivery and low birth weight) are associated with disease activity at the time of conception and during pregnancy.

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), also called periodic disease, Armenian disease, etc., is a prototypical autoinflammatory disorder where the underlying mechanism is the dysfunction of innate immunity, resulting in unprovoked episodes of inflammation.¹ Although considered rare worldwide, it is prevalent in people of Mediterranean origin; however, one can expect to encounter patients in all parts of the modern world. FMF is a monogenic disease with autosomal recessive inheritance.² Unlike other monogenic disorders, the diagnosis remains largely clinical, and it is important to understand the limitations of genetic testing. Another distinguishing feature is the well-established effectiveness of lifelong monotherapy with colchicine in preventing attacks and complications.³