Michoes Medical Centre: Your Partner in Managing MS Symptoms During Pregnancy and Delivery
Call us today at +256701364362 or WhatsApp us at +256779784473 to schedule an appointment with our specialist team.
Pregnancy and Multiple Sclerosis: Balancing Risks for a Healthy Outcome
Multiple sclerosis (MS) often first appears in your 20s to 40s, smack dab in the middle of your reproductive years when you may be thinking about pregnancy or preventing it. Birth control is an important consideration. Getting pregnant while taking certain MS medicines can be risky for an unborn baby.
Birth control can make these drugs less effective and increase their effects. Discuss your birth control method with your doctor. They can help you adjust the dose of your MS medicine if needed.
MS shouldn’t stop you from having a healthy pregnancy and delivery. Yet it can make family planning a little more complicated. You have to balance the risks to your baby of staying on your MS medicine against the risks to yourself if you stop your treatment.
None of the disease-modifying medications for MS is FDA-approved for use during pregnancy. While many of the MS medications are considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding, your gynecologist or neurologist might recommend that you do a “washout period.” This means you stop taking your medicine and give it time to get out of your system before trying to get pregnant.
Going off a medication that’s been controlling your symptoms can be stressful. But being pregnant can give you a break from MS. The same changes in your body that protect your growing baby also reduce inflammation, which can mean fewer relapses. And if you do relapse during pregnancy, you may be able to take corticosteroids safely during your second and third trimesters.
Some women relapse in the first few months after delivery. Breastfeeding your baby exclusively can help lower that risk. If your symptoms do return while you’re breastfeeding, your doctor can help you find a treatment that’s safe while you nurse.
Women are already more likely to have weak bones than men. In women who have MS, the risk of osteoporosis is even higher. Steroids and antidepressant medicines, both possible treatments for MS, each increase the risk of bone loss if you take them for a long time.
Ask your doctor whether you should have a bone density scan. If you’re at risk for osteoporosis, a medication switch might help.
Depression, anxiety, and other mood changes are common with MS. Antidepressants are good at boosting your mood, but they can also make it harder to get excited or reach orgasm.
Ask your doctor about switching to a type of antidepressant that isn’t as likely to cause sexual side effects.
At Michoes Medical Centre, our team of specialists is dedicated to providing personalized care for women with multiple sclerosis. We offer consultations and services tailored to your specific needs. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.
Stay Healthy, Stay Informed: Take control of your health and find the support you need. Visit Michoes Medical Centre for expert care and guidance on managing MS symptoms during pregnancy and delivery. Call +256701364362 or WhatsApp +256779784473 to schedule an appointment today.
Don’t let multiple sclerosis hold you back from achieving a healthy pregnancy and delivery. Contact Michoes Medical Centre for personalized care and support. Your health is our top priority.
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