Pregnancy: a factor influencing the course of multiple sclerosis?

The influence of pregnancy on the course of multiple sclerosis was analyzed in 119 patients who had a pregnancy during the disease. A worsening of the disease and a higher number of relapses were observed in puerperium, whereas pregnancy and the following year were generally characterized by a favorable course. The comparison with a control group did not show significant differences as concerns the invalidity and the mean rate of relapses. The results indicate that pregnancy does not substantially modify the course of the disease.