January 30, 2025
by Elizabeth Pratt
Those living with multiple sclerosis who are pregnant have a greater chance of experiencing mental illness during pregnancy and in the first few years following birth.
Research published in Neurology found that pregnant people with MS had a 26% increased risk of mental illness during pregnancy when compared with pregnant people without MS and a 33% increased risk of mental illness after birth.
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MS (multiple sclerosis) is an autoimmune disorder that affects the central nervous system. In MS patients, the immune system creates an enzyme that destroys the myelin (protective sheath the covers nerve fibers and axons) causing neurological damage due to lesions. Most people conjure a mental picture of people in wheelchairs when they think about MS, but that image is not accurate. In fact, only about one third of people with MS use wheelchairs twenty years after diagnosis, though some may use a cane or other mobility assistance.
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