How does ms affect pregnancy

MS are reduced during pregnancy compared with the post-partum period. Multiple sclerosis may make carrying a pregnancy more challenging in some women.

This is thought to be due to changes in the levels of hormones particularly oestrogen during and after pregnancy.

How does ms affect pregnancy. Some studies have found that MS symptoms decrease in pregnancy and increase after delivery. The disabling effects of the disease may make it physically hard to carry a pregnancy. Muscle weakness and coordination problems may increase the likelihood for falls.

Multiple sclerosis MS is an autoimmune disorder that affects the central nervous system. MS during pregnancy may result in a baby of smaller size or necessitate a c-section. Learn about multiple sclerosis and pregnancy.

Living with multiple sclerosis while pregnant Fortunately pregnancy does not appear to speed up the course or worsen the effects of MS. Several studies suggest that MS is less likely to flare up late in pregnancy. But there is a slightly higher risk right after pregnancy.

A review of pregnancy studies in MS from 2019 also found breastfeeding may protect against postpartum relapses Krysko etal 2019. These studies do not prove that breastfeeding will completely prevent postpartum relapses however they show that breastfeeding is safe for people with MS and their babies and could be beneficial. Most moms-to-be find that their MS symptoms improve during pregnancy particularly during the third trimester.

Others however experience MS relapses when theyre expecting and in the postpartum period. If you have problems with your gait walking can become more difficult especially as your weight increases during pregnancy. How might MS affect pregnancy and vice versa.

Studies show that fertility pregnancy labor delivery and fetal complications are generally no different for women with MS. MS are reduced during pregnancy compared with the post-partum period. Finally there appears to be an increase in certain immune cells regulatory T cells that may also suppress.

Multiple sclerosis may make carrying a pregnancy more challenging in some women. Fatigue is the most common symptom of MS and pregnant MS women may experience greater fatigue. Generally speaking MS does not seem to affect a womans ability to get pregnant 1 2 however some small studies report reduced fertility or decreased levels of certain hormones that are used as an indicator of fertility in women with MS 3 4 explains Dr Sandberg.

Pregnancy can potentially aggravate certain symptoms of MS. For example if a woman has balance problems they might get worse as she gains weight. For those people with MS who are physically disabled the effects of pregnancy on the body can be more pronounced.

In addition some of these effects such as muscle weakness fatigue and coordination problems as well as bladder and bowel incontinence may worsen during pregnancy. When youre pregnant your MS symptoms will probably get better especially during your second and third trimesters. After you give birth your odds of a flare are higher for about 3 to 6 months.

Pregnancy is associated with a reduced relapse rate particularly during the last trimester. The Pregnancy and Multiple Sclerosis PRIMS trial which looked at 269 pregnancies found that pregnancy resulted in. A 70 reduction in relapse rate in the third trimester A corresponding increase in the relapse rate in the three months after childbirth.

A woman with MS is less likely to have a relapse during pregnancy particularly during the last three months. The risk of relapse increases in the six months after the birth. This is thought to be due to changes in the levels of hormones particularly oestrogen during and after pregnancy.

Pregnancy is an exciting time but it can also be an uncertain one due to the physical and emotional changes it brings. If you have multiple sclerosis youre likely to have a few added concerns about the next nine months. MS has not been found to affect the course of pregnancy and labour.

Neither does it increase the risk of miscarriages complications during labour or delivery foetal malformations or stillbirths. Epidural anaesthesia is considered safe to use for pain relief during labour and has been found to be beneficial for women who experience spasticity. Theres no evidence to suggest that getting pregnant will make MS worse says Dr.

Nancy Sicotte interim chair of Neurology and director of the Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Center at Cedars-Sinai. Many patients may even see an. Several studies have shown that mothers with MS are just as likely as any other mothers to have healthy pregnancies and babies.

And there is no research to show MS may increase risk of ectopic pregnancy where a foetus develops in the fallopian tube miscarriage premature birth still-birth or.