Pregnancy and multiple sclerosis: a 2-year experience.
OBJECTIVE
To present our experience with management of parturients with multiple sclerosis and to examine the role of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in the prevention of postpartum exacerbations of the disease.


METHODS
Fifteen patients with multiple sclerosis with a relapsing-remitting course were followed during pregnancy and 6 months postpartum. To prevent postpartum exacerbations, 14 of the patients had received IVIg after delivery.


RESULTS
None of the patients who received postpartum IVIg relapsed during the 6 months after delivery. None of the observed obstetric complications nor the operative deliveries could be related to the coexistence of multiple sclerosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Postpartum IVIg treatment is beneficial in preventing acute childbirth-associated exacerbations in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Furthermore, this disease does not seem to increase obstetric complications.
Orvieto
R
R
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tiqva, Israel.
Achiron
R
R
Rotstein
Z
Z
Noy
S
S
Bar-Hava
I
I
Achiron
A
A
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D012008:Recurrence
D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous