Multiple Sclerosis Pregnancy Outcomes Generally Good

There is a higher risk of some adverse outcomes with MS and epilepsy, but not others

THURSDAY, Nov. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnant women with multiple sclerosis and epilepsy have a marginally higher risk of outcomes such as intrauterine growth restriction and cesarean delivery, but a similar risk of other adverse pregnancy outcomes as the general population, according to a study published online Nov. 18 in Neurology.

Victoria M. Kelly, M.D., and colleagues from the Stanford University School of Medicine in California compared pregnancy outcomes among 18.8 million deliveries, of which 10,055 were in women with multiple sclerosis, 4,730 were in women with epilepsy, and 187,239 were in women with diabetes mellitus.

After adjusting for maternal age and race, the researchers found a higher risk of antenatal hospitalization in women with multiple sclerosis (odds ratio, 1.3) and epilepsy (odds ratio, 3.0), a higher risk of intrauterine growth restriction with multiple sclerosis (odds ratio, 1.7) and epilepsy (odds ratio, 1.9), and a higher risk of cesarean delivery in multiple sclerosis (odds ratio, 1.3) and epilepsy (odds ratio, 1.5). Diabetes mellitus was associated with a higher risk of hypertensive disorders including preeclampsia, premature rupture of membranes, intrauterine growth restriction, and cesarean delivery.

"In this large national database study of pregnancy outcomes in women with multiple sclerosis and epilepsy, rates of intrauterine growth restriction and cesarean delivery were only marginally higher than the general obstetric population without increases in other adverse outcomes," Kelly and colleagues conclude.

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