Childbirth May Slow MS - Multiple Sclerosis Society

Main Category: Multiple Sclerosis
Article Date: 24 Nov 2009 - 2:00 PST

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Researchers in Belgium have suggested that giving birth slows the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS).

The results of their study are published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

In the study it was found that women who had given birth to one or more children at any point in time before or after the start of symptoms were 34% less likely to progress in disability than childless women.

The Belgian scientists studied progression of MS in 330 women. All the women had been referred to one specialist centre, and had had their first symptoms from the ages of 22 to almost 38.

After an average of 18 years living with MS, over half of all the women (55%) were categorised as Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 6. This scale runs from 1 to 10, where 10 is death. EDSS 6 refers to individual's need for assistance with a cane, crutch, or brace to walk 100 metres.

There were a number of drawbacks to the study, however, such as the fact that women with more severe forms of MS may choose not to get pregnant because of a concern about how a post-natal relapse might affect MS progression or worries about taking care of a baby during severe relapses, were not taken into account.

Other factors that may influence progression such as the use of disease modifying drugs, as well as lifestyle factors or genetics, were not accounted for.

The authors also acknowledge that they may have been working from an incomplete dataset, only looking at the numbers of live births and not accounting for women who had miscarried or had abortions, who would have been subject to the same hormonal changes.

Commenting on the study, Dr Susan Kohlhaas, Research Communications Officer at the MS Society, said: "It is difficult to form any meaningful conclusions from this research given the small size of the study and its flaws, but further studies will hopefully clarify the effects of pregnancy in women with MS."

Source
Multiple Sclerosis Society