The Short and Long-Term Effects of Pregnancy on Multiple Sclerosis and Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
The University of Queensland, Centre for Clinical Research, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
J. Clin. Med. 2018, 7(12), 494; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm7120494
Received: 1 October 2018
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Revised: 21 November 2018
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Accepted: 21 November 2018
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Published: 28 November 2018
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potential Pathogenic Mechanisms of Multiple Sclerosis)
The role of pregnancy in multiple sclerosis (MS) is of importance because many patients with MS are young women in the childbearing age who require information to inform their reproductive decisions. Pregnancy is now well-known to be associated with fewer relapses of MS and reduced activity of autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). However, in women with multiple sclerosis, this benefit is not always sufficient to protect against a rebound of disease activity if disease-modulating therapy is ceased for pregnancy. There is concern that use of assisted reproductive therapies can be associated with relapses of MS, but more data are required. It is thought that the beneficial effects of pregnancy are due to the pregnancy-associated changes in the maternal immune system. There is some evidence of this in human studies and studies of EAE. There is also evidence that having been pregnant leads to better long-term outcome of MS. The mechanism for this is not fully understood but it could result from epigenetic changes resulting from pregnancy or parenthood. Further studies of the mechanisms of the beneficial effects of pregnancy could provide information that might be used to produce new therapies.
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MDPI and ACS Style
McCombe, P.A. The Short and Long-Term Effects of Pregnancy on Multiple Sclerosis and Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis. J. Clin. Med. 2018, 7, 494. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm7120494
AMA Style
McCombe PA. The Short and Long-Term Effects of Pregnancy on Multiple Sclerosis and Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2018; 7(12):494. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm7120494
Chicago/Turabian StyleMcCombe, Pamela A. 2018. "The Short and Long-Term Effects of Pregnancy on Multiple Sclerosis and Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis" Journal of Clinical Medicine 7, no. 12: 494. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm7120494
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