Pregnancy and MS
 

I do believe that there's been lots of reasearch about that very topic lately, but unfortunately my brain has gaps in it the size of those in Swiss cheese at the moment. No not black holes......just ones in my short term memory, so I can't remember where I saw it written up. :Oops:

From what I remember the majority of mums-to-be have lessened symptoms through out their pregnancy.

I'm so sorry. I probably shoulbn't have posted seeing I don't have the answers, but maybe it will prompt one of our more learned people to reply.

Good luck with your pregnancy. I can't wait to meet your little one! :D

LOL...Koala.....IM NOT PREGO!!!! GOT HUBBY FIXED!!!!

Guess he wanted to know why you couldnt make your body think it was pregnant to lessen the symptoms or stall the disease.

I have my hands full with 4 boys......Hubby 43yo....a soon to be 5 yo who is somewhat autistic....a 3 year old who likes to bite......and a 2 year old !!!!!

~L~

Now where's that Oops-a Daisy Icon when I need it. :Oops:

It's OK. I was diagnosed with Foot in Mouth disease long before I got the MS diagnosis, so I'm getting used to taking the right foot out, and putting the left foot in..........................:(

But......if we're still talking........

There is a lot of research going on about the pregnancy thing. That bit of my post does at least makes sense! :D

What they're trying to do is capture the hormones released during pregnancy, that protect women from relapses during their pregnancy, and use them and/or that data they collect, to make new medications that might in fact assist us all in preventing exacerbations.

Now I'm quite sure my great gaffe will enable those with much more information that I have to come along and fill in the gaps!

They're doing studies now...
 

They are currently running studies combining copaxone and a female hormone (I think it's estriol?). It is thought that when a woman is pregnant she is asymptomatic due to hormones and then there is often a large postpartum exacerbation.

However, I have heard one MS expert say that when they looked at statistics of women with MS who went thru pregnancy - the amount of exacerbations is relatively the same as non-pregnant people with MS - as in it all averages out in a year's time span apparently. Not sure I'm explaining that correctly. Of course, if the woman stays on the hormones indefinitely, then the amount of exacerbations wouldn't increase, as it does during the postpartum period.

Not sure any of what I said makes sense...except the first paragraph!

Anyhow, they are doing a multi-center study with the copax and hormones. They've even recently "relaxed" the criteria so that participants can include those who are currently on copax. Of course, it is a double-blind study - you definitely get the copax, but you don't know if you're really getting the hormones.

~Keri

I don't have any reference for you but only personal experience. My sx seemed to be holding steady while on the pill. When I was off it for a couple years I had horrible, waves of flaring sx that lasted nearly a year.

I went back on the pill last summer and seem to have stabilized, although there is residual permanent (sensory) sx hanging around still. My neuro didn't see a connection, and it may be coincidence only. I just don't want to take a chance it's not related and stop the pill to find out.

If anyone has more info, I'd be interested too.

:hug:

my neuro told me that you body produces natural anti-rejection/anti-inflammatory chemicals so that you don't reject the fetus. He said that's why pregnant women do so well during pregnancy.

I have heard that there are some studies out but I am not too sure what thay involve.
I was told that it was ok to get pregnant. I am currlenty 4 months and I ahve been doing great. I am more tired than I was with my other 2 but I seem to be doing good. I am going to go back and see my Neuro in July just for my 6 month check up. My Ob knows that I have MS and he is looking out for anyhting out of the ordanary.

Doing a cursory google search for articles on Pregnancy and Multiple Sclerosis, I found these articles. Yes, Estriol is currently being studied in a clinical trial. In fact, they are recruiting in this clinical trial. Here's the link:

http://www.clinicaltrial.gov/ct2/sho...ing%22&rank=63



http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/...act/127/6/1353

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16413965

http://msj.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/13/1/33

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=4375

Greta, I have heard this and I have read it somewhere, just can't remember where at the moment :rolleyes:

As far as I can tell the hormone theory doesn't really hold up consistantly - some women do well during and after pregnancy and some do not.