For women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) facing fertility challenges, new data suggest that the type of assisted reproductive technology (ART) used matters enormously. Presented at the 2026 American College of Gastroenterology Annual Scientific Meeting in Nashville, findings from the prospective WIsDoM cohort — spanning 30 U.S. and Canadian centers — showed that 73% of women with IBD who underwent fertility treatment achieved pregnancy. But that headline number masks a striking gap between treatment types.

Embryo transfer dramatically outperformed intrauterine insemination (IUI): 85% of women who underwent embryo transfer conceived, compared with just 38% who used IUI alone. Notably, all seven women with prior IBD-related pelvic surgery who underwent embryo transfer successfully conceived, while neither of the two who tried IUI alone did. Researchers also found that prior IUI attempts did not reduce the chances of success with subsequent embryo transfer.

By the Numbers:

• 421 women with IBD attempting pregnancy were analyzed; 67 underwent at least one fertility treatment
• 73% overall pregnancy rate among women who underwent ART
• 85% pregnancy rate with embryo transfer vs. 38% with IUI alone
• Per-attempt success: 73% for embryo transfer vs. 10% for IUI
• Adjusted odds of pregnancy with embryo transfer vs. IUI: 44x higher (aOR = 44; 95% CI, 8.9–221)

Why it matters: Women with IBD — particularly those with a history of pelvic surgery — face higher infertility rates than the general population. These findings give clinicians a clear signal: rather than putting patients through prolonged IUI trials, early referral to IVF and embryo transfer may offer a faster, more effective path to pregnancy.