One in three women with IBD believe every IBD drug is harmful in pregnancy. The cost of that belief shows up as flares, preterm births and babies born small for gestational age.

Mette Julsgaard, Associate Professor at Aarhus University Hospital and Director of Denmark's National Centre for Preconception and Pregnancy in Autoimmune Diseases, was a co-author of the 2025 global consensus statement on pregnancy in IBD. With Pradeep Mundre she works through the period before conception: what active disease does to fertility in men and women, what to check at the preconception visit beyond disease activity, and why the stop list is short (JAK inhibitors, S1P receptor modulators and, in women, methotrexate).

Then a drug by drug run through of pregnancy and breastfeeding, including why the biologics reach breast milk at under 1 % of maternal blood levels, as well as the recommendation for the use of aspirin for patients with IBD during pregnancy.

Part two covers flares, surgery, delivery and vaccination and will be published on the 2nd of September 2026.

Further reading:

The literature said 41 to 46% of high-risk early oesophageal cancers already have nodal disease. Newer data from patients followed after endoscopic resection puts it nearer 16%, which means sending all of them to surgery operates on more than 80% for nothing.

Recorded after the UEG online course on oesophageal cancer, three specialists work through the questions the guidelines have not settled. Roos Pouw on when strict endoscopic follow-up can replace oesophagectomy, and exactly what that follow-up schedule looks like. Ana-Maria Bucalau on why six biopsies no longer covers the biomarker panel, and what ESOPEC and MATTERHORN change about neoadjuvant choice. Jessie Elliott on Siewert type II surgery, and on ENSURE, which found intensive surveillance detects recurrence earlier without improving survival while increasing cancer worry.

The SARONG surveillance trials are still recruiting and Jessie is open to hearing from interested centres. Full course at gutflix.eu.

Further reading:

1. ESGE tissue sampling guideline, Part 1 (biopsy numbers)

UEG Podcast is on summer holiday and re-releases published episodes that we think deserve another listen. Enjoy!

In this episode of the UEG Talks conversation between Maria Vehreschild and Pradeep Mundre, we delve into the complexities of the faecal microbiome and the role of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in treating various diseases, particularly C. difficile infections and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The discussion covers the historical context of FMT, its mechanisms of action, current treatment guidelines, safety considerations, and the various delivery methods. The conversation also emphasises the need for further research and the importance of professional standards in FMT practices.

UEG Podcast is on summer holiday and re-releases published episodes that we think deserve another listen. Enjoy!

Functional gastrointestinal disorders, or disorder of gut-brain interaction, can be frightening to many GIs. How do I talk to the patient? What can I tell them if there is no improvement in their symptoms? How can I even explain to them what their diagnosis is, if I don’t even know it?

The content of UEG Talks is for healthcare professionals and is purely educational. The views of the speakers are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of United European Gastroenterology. This podcast is not medical advice and should not replace clinical judgment. Always consult official guidelines and relevant experts before making patient care decisions.

UEG Podcast is on summer holiday and re-releases published episodes that we think deserve another listen. Enjoy!

In this episode, host Egle speaks with former UEG President Axel Dignass about what it takes to lead in times of crisis. Drawing on his experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, Axel reflects on the difference between being a boss and being a true leader. He shares thoughts on the value of empathy, transparency, and consistency, as well as how to build and sustain a resilient team. The conversation also touches on the challenges of going virtual, the importance of recognising team achievements, and the warning signs of toxic leadership. A must-listen for anyone looking to grow as a leader in uncertain times.

The headlines say colorectal cancer is surging in the under-50s. Michael Bretthauer, the colorectal screening authority behind the Nordic trials and the EU-funded ECOPOP consortium, thinks the panic is misplaced, and he has the population data to argue it.

Article on carcinoid tumours, Dr. Montminy

The 2024 EASL guidelines on MASLD are already out of date on treatment, and that's a good problem to have. In part 2, Pradeep Mundre and Professor Sven Francque (Antwerp), guideline co-author, walk through what works now. Lifestyle still earns the hardest numbers: 7% body weight loss for resolution of steatohepatitis, 10% for fibrosis regression. Resmetirom, a liver-targeted thyroid hormone receptor beta agonist, is now approved for F2-F3 fibrosis (though not in every EU country). Semaglutide has produced positive phase 3 data in MASH and an updated guideline is on the way. Sven also covers where pioglitazone, obeticholic acid, and bariatric surgery sit, the particularities of liver transplantation in this older, comorbid population, and an honest answer to what a hepatology trainee should expect from this field. Catch part 1 first if you missed it.

MASLD guidelines

Around 30% of adults now have steatotic liver disease, but only a small fraction will progress to cirrhosis. The clinical question is which ones. In part one of this two-part series, Pradeep Mundre speaks with Professor Sven Francque (Antwerp University Hospital), co-author of the 2024 EASL multi-society guidelines on MASLD. They work through the new nomenclature (MASLD, MASH, MetALD), why dysfunctional adiposity rather than BMI is the right lens for risk, and how to use FIB-4 as the gateway test in primary care: below 1.3 to reassure, above 2.67 to refer, gray zone in between. Sven also covers why lean MASLD turns up more often than expected in patients of Asian descent, and the narrow set of scenarios where liver biopsy still earns its place alongside FibroScan and ELF. Part 2 covers treatment and future directions and will be released on the 3rd of June 2026.

MASLD guidelines

Sphincter-preserving surgery has spared a lot of rectal cancer patients a stoma, but handed many of them a different problem they're rarely warned about. Low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) affects a large share of post-operative patients, and most of the work to fix it doesn't happen in the operating theatre.

Harald Rosen brings together Andreas Rink, Peter Christensen, and Franco Marinello. Three surgeons who manage LARS daily, for a candid roundtable on what's working, what isn't, and where European practice still diverges.

Among the takeaways: when diarrhoea-dominant LARS needs the gastroenterologist before any other treatment will stick; why transanal irrigation is the workhorse, but patients drop out; and the unsolved questions around phenotyping LARS and timing neuromodulation.

The full course, with case discussions and the treatment pyramid, is free on gutflix.eu.

EoE requires long-term management, but what does that look like in practice? In Part 2, Prof. Alex Straumann discusses the realities of treating a chronic, relapsing disease, where remission is achievable but a cure is not.

The episode explores how to approach maintenance therapy, manage persistent symptoms despite histological remission, and when to escalate treatment to biologics. It also addresses the practical limitations of dietary strategies and the ongoing challenge of identifying trigger foods.

Looking ahead, the discussion highlights key unmet needs in EoE, including the absence of reliable diagnostic tools for food triggers and the potential influence of modern food production on disease prevalence.