Pregnancy and Multiple Sclerosis: An Update on the Disease Modifying Treatment Strategy and a Review of Pregnancy's Impact on Disease Activity

Medicina (Kaunas). 2020 Jan 21;56(2):49. doi: 10.3390/medicina56020049.

Abstract

Pregnancy rates are rapidly increasing among women of reproductive age diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Through pre-conception, pregnancy and post-partum periods, there is a need for disease control management, to decrease chances of MS relapses while avoiding potential risks to the mother and the fetus. However, pregnancy is not always compatible with the available highly effective MS treatments. This narrative review provides the aspects of pregnancy's outcomes and the impact on disease activity, choices of anesthesia and the management of relapses during the pregnancy and breastfeeding period. Available disease modifying treatment is discussed in the article with new data supporting the strategy of continuing natalizumab after conception, as it is related to a decreased risk of MS relapses during the pregnancy and postpartum period.

Keywords: breastfeeding; disease modifying therapy; multiple sclerosis; pregnancy; relapses.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alemtuzumab / therapeutic use
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / therapeutic use
  • Crotonates / therapeutic use
  • Dimethyl Fumarate / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Fingolimod Hydrochloride / therapeutic use
  • Glatiramer Acetate / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Hydroxybutyrates
  • Interferon-beta / therapeutic use
  • Multiple Sclerosis / complications*
  • Multiple Sclerosis / drug therapy*
  • Multiple Sclerosis / epidemiology
  • Natalizumab / therapeutic use
  • Nitriles
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy Complications / etiology
  • Pregnancy Outcome / epidemiology
  • Prospective Studies
  • Rituximab / therapeutic use
  • Toluidines / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Crotonates
  • Hydroxybutyrates
  • Natalizumab
  • Nitriles
  • Toluidines
  • teriflunomide
  • Alemtuzumab
  • Rituximab
  • Glatiramer Acetate
  • Interferon-beta
  • ocrelizumab
  • Dimethyl Fumarate
  • Fingolimod Hydrochloride