Term pregnancies and the clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis: a population based study.

OBJECTIVE: Pregnancy has a well documented effect on relapse risk in multiple sclerosis (MS). Prospective studies have reported a significant decline by two-thirds in the rate of relapses during the third trimester of pregnancy and a significant increase by two-thirds during the first 3 months post...

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Main Authors: Ramagopalan, S, Yee, I, Byrnes, J, Guimond, C, Ebers, G, Sadovnick, D
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2012
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author Ramagopalan, S
Yee, I
Byrnes, J
Guimond, C
Ebers, G
Sadovnick, D
author_facet Ramagopalan, S
Yee, I
Byrnes, J
Guimond, C
Ebers, G
Sadovnick, D
author_sort Ramagopalan, S
collection OXFORD
description OBJECTIVE: Pregnancy has a well documented effect on relapse risk in multiple sclerosis (MS). Prospective studies have reported a significant decline by two-thirds in the rate of relapses during the third trimester of pregnancy and a significant increase by two-thirds during the first 3 months postpartum. However, it is unclear as to whether there are any long term effects on disability. METHODS: Data were collated from clinical records and family histories systematically collected from the University of British Columbia MS Clinic. RESULTS: Clinical and term pregnancy data were available from 2105 female MS patients. MS patients having children after MS onset took the longest time to reach an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of 6 (mean 22.9 years) and patients having children before MS onset were the quickest (mean 13.2 years). However, these effects were not related to term pregnancy and were fully accounted for by age of MS onset. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy had no effect on the time to reach an EDSS score 6. As MS predominantly affects women of childbearing age, women with MS can be reassured that term pregnancies do not appear to have any long term effects on disability.
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spelling oxford-uuid:0494c559-8812-4e99-9d50-ad53874bd7fd2022-03-26T08:52:33ZTerm pregnancies and the clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis: a population based study.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:0494c559-8812-4e99-9d50-ad53874bd7fdEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2012Ramagopalan, SYee, IByrnes, JGuimond, CEbers, GSadovnick, D OBJECTIVE: Pregnancy has a well documented effect on relapse risk in multiple sclerosis (MS). Prospective studies have reported a significant decline by two-thirds in the rate of relapses during the third trimester of pregnancy and a significant increase by two-thirds during the first 3 months postpartum. However, it is unclear as to whether there are any long term effects on disability. METHODS: Data were collated from clinical records and family histories systematically collected from the University of British Columbia MS Clinic. RESULTS: Clinical and term pregnancy data were available from 2105 female MS patients. MS patients having children after MS onset took the longest time to reach an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of 6 (mean 22.9 years) and patients having children before MS onset were the quickest (mean 13.2 years). However, these effects were not related to term pregnancy and were fully accounted for by age of MS onset. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy had no effect on the time to reach an EDSS score 6. As MS predominantly affects women of childbearing age, women with MS can be reassured that term pregnancies do not appear to have any long term effects on disability.
spellingShingle Ramagopalan, S
Yee, I
Byrnes, J
Guimond, C
Ebers, G
Sadovnick, D
Term pregnancies and the clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis: a population based study.
title Term pregnancies and the clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis: a population based study.
title_full Term pregnancies and the clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis: a population based study.
title_fullStr Term pregnancies and the clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis: a population based study.
title_full_unstemmed Term pregnancies and the clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis: a population based study.
title_short Term pregnancies and the clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis: a population based study.
title_sort term pregnancies and the clinical characteristics of multiple sclerosis a population based study
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