News

– Understanding Why May Lead to Insights into the Disease
In a study of 2,557 women with MS, those with a previous pregnancy experienced their first MS-like symptom (clinically isolated syndrome – CIS) an average of more than 3 years later than those who had never been pregnant. Having more than one pregnancy was not associated with additional delays in onset.

• Pregnancy is characterized by a dampening of immune responses and the presence of potentially nervous system-protective hormones, both of which protect the developing fetus. The combined anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of pregnancy appear to have a positive impact on MS as well. The mechanisms for this impact are not fully understood.
• This team looked at 2,557 women with MS enrolled in MSBase, an international registry that follows the medical history of more than 70,000 people with MS. Among this group, 1,176 had experienced at least one pregnancy.
• This study adds to a growing body of research attempting to uncover the influences of pregnancy, breast feeding, and sex hormones on the risk, onset and course of MS. Better understanding the mechanisms behind these influences may lead to new pathways for treating or preventing MS.
• MS often occurs in women of childbearing age, and family planning for someone with MS involves many unique considerations. Read more about pregnancy and reproduction issues in MS.

“Association of Pregnancy With the Onset of Clinically Isolated Syndrome” is published by Ai-Lan Nguyen, MBBS (Royal Melbourne Hospital) and colleagues in JAMA Neurology (Published online September 14, 2020).