Motherhood and multiple sclerosis – facts and myths
Łukasz Rzepiński1, Sławomir Wawrzyniak1, Anna Niezgodzińska-Maciejek1, Małgorzata Rzepińska2
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, which is nearly two times more common in women. It mainly occurs between 2. and 4. decade of life, which is a period of maximum fertility of patients. The social stigma of disease, fear of disability and the lack of sufficient information on the impact of pregnancy on the course of multiple sclerosis, make a decision about having the baby particularly difficult. Meanwhile, available data clearly confirm the beneficial effect of motherhood on the course of multiple sclerosis. Pregnancy, is the only physiological state, which strongly reduces the rate of the disease relapses and at the same time delays appearing of a significant disability in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. All women with diagnosed multiple sclerosis, which are planning to have a baby should also get comprehensive information about the increase in the likelihood of occurring of disease relapse during a period of puerperium. In the first three months after delivery, one third patients have a relapse. This knowledge can help mother to organize earlier the assistance in infant care. A number of issues, including, among other things effect of lactation on clinical activity and the impact of the disease-modifying drugs for multiple sclerosis on motherhood requires further research.