Study Explores the Impact of MS Drugs on Pregnancy and Child Health - Video

An analysis of over 3,700 pregnancies of women with multiple sclerosis indicates that the therapy doesn't lead to increased risks of miscarriage, premature birth or serious birth defects.

A research team headed by Professor Kerstin Hellwig from the Department of Neurology at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, analyzed over 3,700 pregnancies of women with multiple sclerosis. More than 2,800 of them were treated with different immunomodulating agents before or during pregnancy. The researchers published their findings in The Lancet Regional Health Europe.

The data for the pregnancies included in the study came from the German Multiple Sclerosis and Pregnancy Registry and was collected between November 2006 and June 2023. 2,885 pregnancies were analyzed during which the mothers had received a so-called disease-modifying therapy (DMT). The substances used in the study included interferons, glatiramer actate, dimethyl fumarate, teriflunomide, S1P modulators, alemtuzumab, natalizumab, anti-CD20 antibodies and cladribine. 837 pregnant women had not received any medication for multiple sclerosis.

The researchers compared the frequency of spontaneous abortions, infections during pregnancy, premature births and birth defects and recorded the children's weight at birth. The primary finding was that exposure to most disease-modifying therapy during pregnancy was not associated with a statistically significant increase in the incidence of spontaneous abortions, premature births or major congenital defects.

Overall, the entire cohort showed an increased risk of low birth weight in relation to the duration of pregnancy. 18.8 percent of babies were affected.

While most disease-modifying therapy don't increase the risk of critical pregnancy complications, exposure to S1P modulators, natalizumab and anti-CD20 antibodies increases the likelihood of low birth weight and slowed intrauterine growth. This is a risk factor for both fetal and neonatal death as well as for numerous diseases in later life, including type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases.

Reference: https://news.rub.de/english/press-releases/2024-12-18-medicine-how-do-ms-drugs-affect-pregnancy