Family planning is a lot like it sounds. The process involves deciding how many children you want and when you hope to get pregnant. It sounds simple enough, but it’s actually complex. Important factors such as contraception, fertility and postpartum care are all part of the process, and as most of us know — life doesn’t always go according to plan.
The health of the person carrying the child is the most important piece of the puzzle. And for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), the seriousness of the disease and the symptoms vary from person to person. So, there are unique considerations regarding family planning with MS, and no two plans are the same.
It wasn’t long ago that people with MS were discouraged from getting pregnant because it was thought that pregnancy made the disease worse. But research shows that’s not the case — pregnancy itself does not have a negative impact on MS or make it worse. In fact, some people with MS may even experience less inflammation and fewer relapses during pregnancy.