MS progression and pregnancy

"Having children could slow down the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS)," The Independent reported. It said researchers have found that, compared to women with MS who have never had children, those who had children after the onset of the disease were 39% less likely to have progressed to a stage where they needed assistance when walking 100m.

This research looked at the medical records of women attending an MS clinic in Belgium. The study has a number of limitations. One of these is that, rather than childbirth slowing down the progress of MS, an alternative explanation is that women who have less severe MS are more likely to decide to have children than those who have a faster-progressing disease.

Due to these limitations, this study does not provide conclusive evidence about the effects of pregnancy on the long-term progression of MS. Further, larger studies that examine this question are needed.

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