Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease that affects the central nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.
The nerve fibers are enclosed by a fatty tissue called myelinA white fatty substance that forms sheaths around the nerve fibers through the body.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. that facilitates the transmission of electrical impulses. This fatty tissue is lost in multiple areas in patients who have MS, leaving scar tissue called sclerosis. Consequently there is a disruption in the transmission of electrical signals to and from the brain causing a variety of symptoms.
The cause of multiple sclerosis is not completely understood, but it is known that the disease is neither contagious, nor is it directly inherited. Multiple sclerosis is not a fatal disease and while there is currently no cure, there are drugs that can slow the course and reduce symptoms in many patients. Most people who suffer from multiple sclerosis do not develop severe disabilities.
As the disease progresses, some symptoms may suddenly get worse, or a new symptom may appear. If this happens within twenty four hours and a period of more than one month has passed since the last occurrence it is called an exacerbation. Exacerbations are also called relapses or flare-ups.
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While most women with multiple sclerosis have successful and healthy pregnancies, they are anxious whether they will be able to cope with the long term consequences of having a child. Before you become pregnant, you will need to discuss the complications thoroughly with your partner and determine whether you will be able to count on your family for support.
Because multiple sclerosis affects the connections to and from the brain, symptoms of the disease can vary from person to person. As the disease progresses, these symptoms may vary, or alter in severity.
Common symptoms of multiple sclerosis include abnormal bladder and bowel function, memory loss, attention span and problem solving, dizziness and vertigo, emotion changes and mood swings. Also common are fatigue, which is often called MS lassitude, difficulty walking or balancing, and a sensation of numbness, pain, spasticity and vision problems. More unusual symptoms include headaches, hearing loss, itching and possibly seizures or tremors. Some people experience speech and swallowing disorders.
The cause of multiple sclerosis is still unknown, but it is thought that the degradation of myelinA white fatty substance that forms sheaths around the nerve fibers through the body.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. is an autoimmune response, in which the body's immune system attacks its own tissues. But the trigger which initiates the response has yet to be discovered. Researchers are looking for possible environmental triggers such as a virus, forms of physical trauma or some toxicological trigger such as heavy metals.
While genetic links have been found, the disease is not directly inherited. If one parent has multiple sclerosis, the child has a three to five percent (3 - 5 in 100) chance of inheriting the disease. This incidence may rise if other close family members are also affected.
Certain risk factors have been identified. Most sufferers are between the ages of twenty and fifty when the disease is discovered. The incidence is two to three times higher among women, and there is an increased risk among those of Northern European ancestry, although Africans, Asians and Hispanics are not immune.
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Studies have show that multiple sclerosis does not negatively impact fertility or lead to an increased incidence of miscarriage, stillbirths or congenital abnormalities.
For most women, with relatively uncomplicated cases of multiple sclerosis, the pregnancy proceeds with few if any complications. In many cases the rate of exacerbations is reduced, and while there is no conclusive evidence why this occurs, there are many theories. It is thought that it may be due to a natural state of immunosuppression or an increase in natural corticosteroids that occurs during pregnancy, especially during trimesters two and three.
Multiple sclerosis does not increase the incidence of birth defects, but if the disease affects your bladder or bowels you may suffer more during pregnancy. Women whose MS affects their gait also have to cope with the increased weight and changing center of gravity caused by the growing baby. Many doctors recommend the use of walking aids such as canes, a walking frame or a wheelchair at times.
After you have delivered the baby your hormonesA complex chemical substance created in a part or organ of the body. When released it initiates or regulates activity in an organ or group of cells in another part of the body.
Hormones secreted by endocrine glands are transported through the bloodstream to their target organ. The amount of hormone secreted is regulated either by other hormones, by neurotransmitters, or simply when an excess of the organ's activity indicates a need to reduce the amount of the hormone produced.
Other hormones are produced locally by the organs themselves and are common in the digestive tract.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. will return to their natural state. As a result of this you may experience an increase in the rate of exacerbations during the first three to six months postpartum. The incidence of relapses are thought to be between twenty and forty percent (1 - 2 in 5). These exacerbations do not increase the risk of long-term disability, which has been confirmed by several studies of women with multiple sclerosis and children.
There is no increase in the incidence of birth defects among women with multiple sclerosis. While there is an increased chance of the baby developing the disease, the risk is still very small, and many women don't consider it enough to prevent them from having a baby. No test yet exists to determine if the baby is predisposed to getting multiple sclerosis.
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A baby can prove very tiring, so it is very important to have the support of friends and family. Their assistance will help you cope and make it possible for you to lead a normal family life.
Multiple sclerosis does not usually cause problems during labor and delivery. The incidence of obstetrical complications is unchanged, and the use of epiduralA regional anesthetic introduced into the base of the spine used during labor and for cesarean sections. Also known as an epidural block.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. and general anestheticsAn agent or process that removes the body's sensitivity to pain. Anesthetics are usually medically administered chemicals, although they include other forms such as hypnosis, or the body's own ability to cause numbness through shock.
Anesthetics can either be local, whereby only a portion of the body or an individual organ is desensitized or general, in which the entire body is desensitized, with the result the patient is often temporarily unconcious.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. is possible. If the condition is complicated by spastic paraplegia, your doctor may recommend a cesarean section.
There is no evidence that breastfeeding increases the risk of exacerbations. If you are using disease modifying drugs such as Avonex, Betaseron, Rebif, Copaxone or Novantrone there is a risk that they may pass into the breast milk and affect the development of your baby. Talk to your doctor before you plan to breastfeed so that in case your treatment needs to be adjusted.
Talk with your doctor about the drugs used to manage multiple sclerosis before you become pregnant. Some disease modifying drugs such as Avonex, Betaseron, Rebif, Copaxone or Novantrone, should be avoided in pregnancy because they may adversely affect the fetus. Some steroids may be used to control acute exacerbations during pregnancy, but you should not alter your medication without the advice of your doctor.
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