In this webinar, Drs. Vivian Huang and Cynthia Seow, along with lived experience partner Laura De Beck Courcelle (RN), explored fertility and pregnancy in people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Attendees gained valuable insights and had the opportunity to ask questions directly to leading experts in the field.
Dr. Vivian Huang is an Associate Professor and Clinician Investigator in Gastroenterology at Mount Sinai Hospital and the University of Toronto. She completed her medical degree at Queen’s University, followed by gastroenterology training at the University of Toronto and an IBD fellowship at the University of Alberta. A recognized expert in fertility and pregnancy in IBD, Dr. Huang established specialized clinical research programs in Alberta and Ontario. She has authored over 70 publications and received multiple national awards for her work, including the Women in IBD: Emerging Researcher Award (2020) and the CAG Young Scholar in Quality Innovation Award (2023) and the UHN/SHS Quality Innovation Award (2024).
Dr. Cynthia Seow is a Professor and Clinician Researcher in Gastroenterology at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. Her clinical and research expertise focuses on IBD in special populations, including sexual health, preconception, and pregnancy care. She has led and contributed to major international guidelines, including the Global IBD in Pregnancy Consensus Guidelines, Australian IBD Pregnancy Consensus Statements, and the Toronto Consensus Statements. Dr. Seow has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and holds active research funding. She also serves as Associate Editor for Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics and sits on editorial boards of key gastroenterology journals. She is Chair of the Canadian Future Leaders in IBD initiative and an active contributor to national IBD organizations.
Laura De Beck Courcelle (RN) has lived with Crohn’s disease since 2000 and turned her experience into a career as a Registered Nurse. She balances life with three kids, a dog, and a husband who also has Crohn’s—proving that shared guts are true love. With humour, caffeine, and stubborn determination, she navigates the chaos of IBD both personally and professionally.